The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

Tabatha's POV

Eragon was in Nasuada's pavilion, along with Arya, the strange witch-child—Elva—and a few members of Du Vrangr Gata. They all huddled about the huge table at the center of the area, leaning over a map of the city.

"What's going on?" I asked, pushing in between Eragon and Arya. I could feel the elf stiffening beside me, her muscles growing tense, and I couldn't help but smirk slightly. Amera's head appeared under the fabric of the tent alongside Saphira's.

"Jeod thinks he may have found a sewer system that we can enter the city through," Eragon exclaimed, never taking his eyes off the map.

"It's going to be our best chance," Nasuada said firmly, leaning on her knuckles over the table. "Tabatha, are you and Amera ready?"

I nodded sharply. "Yes, I think so. This will be better than trying to go through the main gates, and we can do initial reconnaissance to see what our best options will be for attack." I surprised myself with the way I was speaking, but I guessed that was the warrior coming out in me.

"Good," she replied, staring me down with her fierce, dark eyes. "You'll go in tonight. Return by dawn and we'll formulate our final plans. We can't thank you enough, Tabatha, and you as well, Amera. Your presence here may make the difference in the battle to come." Amera snorted and smoke snaked out of her nostrils.

"Happy to help," I replied. Nasuada dismissed us after that and Arya stormed out of the tent, throwing the flap aside forcefully and quite startling the guard that stood watch their by the entrance.

"Wonder what's gotten into her," Eragon mused quietly, watching as she walked away and disappeared between the tents.

"No idea," I replied, coming to his side. "Do you have a moment? I wanted to talk to you." He nodded and followed Amera and I all the way back to our tent, waving slightly as people called out to him. He'd become somewhat of a celebrity in my absence, and I was finding it difficult to become accustomed to that. Eragon had been such a shy kid when we were younger, and even just a couple of years ago, when we set out from Carvahall to begin this journey, he wasn't one for fame. But now...well, he seemed to revel in it. I looked over at him out of the corner of my eye, and he was smiling widely as he waved. That was different...

We finally reached my tent and ducked inside. "What's going on, Tabatha?" he asked, taking a seat in the foldable chair that was placed at the end of my cot. I sat cross-legged on the cot opposite him, still getting used to his strange appearance. I felt like I didn't really know who he was anymore...

"I just wanted to talk to you, Eragon. We haven't really seen each other in...well, in a while. We have a lot to catch up on," I replied slowly.

"Of course," he said, gesturing with his hand toward me that I could continue. I picked nervously at a fraying thread in the blanket on my cot, not really knowing where to begin.

"So...what's happened since I left? Well, I guess I didn't really leave. Since I was taken..." I asked tentatively, looking up at him through the curtain of dark hair that had fallen over my face. "You seem...changed."

"As do you, Tabatha. And I'm interested to hear what happened to you after you disappeared from the battlefield. I know it came as a shock to me to see Murtagh not only alive, but a Rider as well. I can't imagine how you felt." I flinched a bit at the mention of his name, but retained my composure.

"Yes, it was a shock. I thought that he was the one who'd taken me, but it was actually Léod, like I told you. He'd lied to me the entire time—"

"He lied to all of us, Tabby," he said, leaning over and placing a comforting hand on top of my own. "What was Urû 'baen like?"

"It was huge," I continued. "The citadel itself is bigger than anything I've ever seen. I'm just glad I can help you now, having been inside. It's a bit like a maze; you'll need my help to traverse it when the time comes to attack the city."