brisingr | Page 8

other dim specks of
light, Helgrind is black, black, black.”
Roran scowled, clenched his left fist, and glared at the
mountain of rock, which was fading into the dusk as
purple shadows enveloped it. In a low, flat voice, as if
talking with himself, he said, “It doesn’t matter
whether you are right or wrong.”
“How so?”
“We dare not attack tonight; night is when the Ra’zac
are strongest, and if they are nearby, it would be
stupid to fight them when we’re at a disadvantage.
Agreed?”
“Yes.”
“So, we wait for the dawn.” Roran gestured toward the
slaves chained to the gory altar.
“If those poor wretches are gone by then, we know the
Ra’zac are here, and we proceed as planned. If not, we
curse our bad luck that they escaped us, free the
slaves, rescue Katrina, and fly back to the Varden
with her before Murtagh hunts us down. Either way, I doubt the Ra’zac will leave Katrina unattended for

22 | P a g e Brisingr – Christopher Paolini
long, not if Galbatorix wants her to survive so he can
use her as a tool against me.”
Eragon nodded. He wanted to release the slaves now,
but doing so could warn their foes that something
was amiss. Nor, if the Ra’zac came to collect their dinner, could he and Saphira intercede before the
slaves were ferried away. A battle in the open between
a dragon and creatures such as the Lethrblaka would
attract the attention of every man, woman, and child
for leagues around. And Eragon did not think he,
Saphira, or Roran could survive if Galbatorix learned
they were alone in his empire. He looked away from
the shackled men. For their sake, I hope the Ra’zac
are on the other side of Alagaësia or, at least, that the
Ra’zac aren’t hungry tonight. By unspoken consent,
Eragon and Roran crawled backward down from the
crest of the low hill they were hiding behind. At the
bottom, they rose into a half crouch, then turned and,
still doubled over, ran between two rows of hills. The
shallow depression gradually deepened into a narrow,
flood-carved gully lined with crumbling slabs of shale.
Dodging the gnarled juniper trees that dotted the
gully, Eragon glanced up and, through clumps of
needles, saw the first constellations to adorn the
velvet sky. They seemed cold and sharp, like bright
shards of ice. Then he concentrated on maintaining
his footing as he and Roran trotted south toward their
camp.

23 | P a g e Brisingr – Christopher Paolini
AROUND THE CAMPFIRE
The low mound of coals throbbed like the heart of some giant beast. Occasionally, a patch of gold sparks
flared into existence and raced across the surface of
the wood before vanishing into a white-hot crevice.
The dying remnants of the fire Eragon and Roran had built cast a dim red light over the surrounding area,
revealing a patch of rocky soil, a few pewter-gray
bushes, the indistinct mass of a juniper tree farther
off, then nothing.
Eragon sat with his bare feet extended toward the
nest of ruby embers—enjoying the warmth—and with
his back propped against the knobby scales of
Saphira’s thick right foreleg. Opposite him, Roran was
perched on the iron-hard, sun-bleached, wind-worn
shell of an ancient tree trunk. Every time he moved,
the trunk produced a bitter shriek that made Eragon
want to claw at his ears.
For the moment, quiet reigned within the hollow.
Even the coals smoldered in silence; Roran had
collected only long-dead branches devoid of moisture
to eliminate any smoke that unfriendly eyes might
spot.
Eragon had just finished recounting the day’s
activities to Saphira. Normally, he never had to tell
her what he had been doing, as thoughts, feelings,
and other sensations flowed between them as easily
as water from one side of a lake to another. But in
this instance it was necessary because Eragon had
kept his mind carefully shielded during the scouting

24 | P a g e Brisingr – Christopher Paolini
expedition, aside from his disembodied foray into the
Ra’zac’s lair. After a considerable gap in the
conversation, Saphira yawned, exposing her rows of
many fearsome teeth. Cruel and evil they may be, but
I am impressed that the Ra’zac can bewitch their prey
into wanting to be