Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Brilliant

Angela went to the table in the tent and began to mix different herbs together. Once finished, she measured out the herbs into a cup and poured hot water in until the waterline was near the edge.

Turning around, she handed me the cup. I looked down at its contents before sniffing the liquid.

"What is it?" I asked her, looking up from the mixture.

"Tea," Angela said bluntly. "Mostly Chamomile, ginger, and bitter root. It should settle your stomach and allow you to keep your meals down."

"Mal?" My eyes flickered to the tent flap to see Murtagh standing there. Panic flowed into my body. Angela reached out and patted my hand. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing but an upset stomach," Angela replied cheerfully. "She should be able to keep her meals down more regularly if she drinks that tea every morn."

"And why haven't you been keeping your meals down?" Murtagh asked, crossing his arms, and leaning against the tent post.

"Nerves most likely," I replied, skirting around the subject.

"Nay, tis not your nerves, you silly girl," Angela said, waving a hand. "Tell him, or I will."

"I don't even know myself, Angela. That's why I'm here." I snapped back. Angela let out a huff before turning to address Murtagh.

"Tis naught but morning sickness," Angela explained to him, much to my horror. I was with child. "The babe she carries isn't going to make this pregnancy easy. At least this blasted war is over."

Angela strode from the tent, leaving Murtagh sagging against the post, white as a bedsheet. My fingers trembled as I gripped the hot tea. I closed my eyes and let out a breath.

"I would never have stepped foot in this city if I knew," I whispered out, my eyes dipping to the cup in my hands. "I never would have endangered—"

I could not bear to say the words. To say the words meant that it was true, and I could not wrap my mind around the thought of carrying a child or being a mother. I heard armor clinking together, and within seconds, Murtagh was kneeling in front of me, closing his big hands around my smaller ones.

"Neither of us had parents to guide us," Murtagh said softly. "but I promise you, I will do everything in my power to take care of you, and our child."

"What are we going to do, Murtagh," I whispered back. "I can't—I don't know how to raise a child."

"One day at a time, princess," Murtagh said as he reached up to tuck a stray hair behind my ear. "We take this one day at a time."

Murtagh and I spent several more minutes in Angela's tent, mostly waiting for my panic to lessen enough the Eragon won't react to it.

"Mal,"

"Hmm?" I responded. Murtagh now sat next to me, playing with my right hand. He had been fascinated by the tattoo and how it was connected to my Rider's mark.

"How did you get out of Urû'baen?" I looked at him.

"I walked out." Murtagh gave me a disbelieving look. I shrugged at him. "I made sure that everyone in the castle saw me as a sheep. An unassuming sheep not capable of being a threat to the wolves."

"I've never met a silver-tongued sheep with so much wit before." I snorted at him and took a sip of tea. Angela's tea worked wonders on my stomach. "When did your dragon hatch?"

I cocked my head to the side and smiled. No one realized just how old Alethea was.

"Older than anyone thinks," I replied. "Do you remember when we first met?"

"How can I not? It's not every day I get to rescue a beautiful woman from the Raz'ac." Rolling my eyes, I half-heartedly smacked him on the arm.

"Be serious!"

"Okay! Okay!" Murtagh replied with a laugh. "Yes, you had a pet with you, did you not? Whatever happened to it, its name was Alethea, wasn't it?"

I looked at Murtagh with a knowing smile, slowly it dawned on him.

"You don't mean..."

"My dragon was with me the entire time." I answered with glee. "and you never suspected a thing."

"I don't know whether to be embarrassed or impressed."

"I'd go with the latter," I teased with a smile before getting serious. "If you want an exact date, I'm afraid I cannot give you one, I can tell you this though... when Saphira hatched, she wasn't the only one who hatched that night."

"That would make..."

"Alethea the same age as Saphira," I confirmed. Murtagh shook his head.

"I don't what type of mystical power you have that kept the two of you safe for as long as it did." I smiled and shook my head.

"No mystical powers, Murtagh," I told him. "just an extraordinary dragon."