The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

Tabatha's POV

Light burned against the inside of my eyelids, and they flew open wildly. The pain in my side had reduced to a dull throbbing. What's going on? It took me a moment to realize where I was... and then I remembered what had happened last night. I put a finger up to my lips to feel them still tingling. Suddenly, I realized I wasn't alone in my room.

Isabelle was there, with fresh towels and more clothes. "Good morning," she said cheerily, storing the items away in the drawers.

"Hello," I said groggily. She had lit the candle on the nightstand, and I was slowly becoming accustomed to its glaring light. "What are you doing here?"

"I figured you would need more clothes, since you arrived with only one pair and it was filthy," she explained slowly, a wide smile plastered on her face. I just nodded and thanked her. She finished putting things away, and then was getting ready to leave before I stopped her.

"Isabelle? What time is the hunting party leaving?" I asked, swinging my legs over the side of the bed onto the cold stone floor. She twisted her mouth in thought for a moment.

"I think they're leaving right now, actually." My heart jolted in my chest and I pounced out of bed, hurrying to the dresser. "Tabby?" she asked in concern. "Is everything all right?"

"No!" I screamed, flinging clothes aside until I found what I was looking for. "I'm late!" She seemed not to understand what I was saying, but she helped me nonetheless. For time's sake, I slipped a dark green, wool dress over my head and pulled on my boots. And then I ran.

As fast as I possibly could, I dodged other passersby and pushed past slow-moving soldiers. They all stared at me in my frenzied sprint, but I didn't care. I was tripping over the hem of the dress until I pulled it up around my knees, exposing some skin. My aunt would have been mortified if she could see me now. But none of that mattered. If I didn't make it down to say goodbye, Murtagh would think that I didn't care; that last night was just an effect of my lack of sleep and the herbs Angela had given me. I had to let him know that it wasn't. But what if I didn't make it in time?

~*~

Murtagh's POV

We were all ready to go. Ajihad said some last words to Eragon before trotting to the front of the group on his black charger. Tornac shifted nervously beneath me, and I gave him a reassuring pat on the neck. We'd only be gone a couple of days; everything was going to be fine.

Saphira spread her massive wings and flapped them languorously, sending a hot breeze over our hunting party. Eragon looked at me sympathetically, and I felt my chest tightening. Looking over my shoulder, I gazed back at the huge, white city. There were a few people out finishing up the cleanup, but still I did not see her. Tabby was not here.

It seemed that last night had just been a fortuity-for me at least-and most likely an effect of whatever medicines Angela had given her. Ajihad bellowed out a command, but I still wasn't paying attention; I just continued to search for her. Eragon came to my side and put a hand on Tornac's flanks. I looked down at him but I couldn't stand to see that look of pity that he bore. I did not need his pity.

"I'm sure she wanted to be here," he said, trying to be reassuring. It wasn't working. "She's probably still trying to recover."

"As you should be," I growled. Tornac pawed the ground impatiently, and I noticed the party was beginning to move. We were leaving, and still she had not come.

"Do you want me to tell her anything?" My head whipped back around to look at him. That sympathetic tone was beginning to irritate me. The riders spurred their mounts forward, heading towards the tunnel. Tornac shifted restlessly, eager to follow them as he had been trained to do. But I was caught. Desperately, I looked down at Eragon again.