Brom scratched a rune on parchment with charcoal, then showed it to Eragon. "This is the letter a," he said. "Learn it."
With that, Eragon began the task of becoming literate. It was difficult and strange and pushed his intellect to its limits, but he enjoyed it. Without anything else to do and with a good—if sometimes impatient—teacher, he advanced rapidly.
A routine was soon established. Every day Eragon got up, ate in the kitchen, then went to the study for his lessons, where he labored to memorize the sounds of the letters and the rules of writing. It got so that when he closed his eyes, letters and words danced in his mind. He thought of little else during that time.
Before dinner, he and Brom would go behind Jeod's house and spar. The servants, along with a small crowd of wide-eyed children, would come and watch. If there was any time afterward, Eragon would practice magic in his room, with the curtains securely closed.
His only worry was Saphira. He visited her every evening, but it was not enough time together for either of them. During the day, Saphira spent most of her time leagues away searching for food; she could not hunt near Teirm without arousing suspicion. Eragon did what he could to help her, but he knew that the only solution for both her hunger and loneliness was to leave the city far behind.
Every day more grim news poured into Teirm. Arriving merchants told of horrific attacks along the coast. There were reports of powerful people disappearing from their houses in the night and their mangled corpses being discovered in the morning. Eragon often heard Brom and Jeod discussing the events in an undertone, but they always stopped when he came near.
&n
bsp; The days passed quickly, and soon a week had gone by. Eragon's skills were rudimentary, but he could now read whole pages without asking Brom's help. He read slowly, but he knew that speed would come with time. Brom encouraged him, "No matter, you'll do fine for what I have planned."
It was afternoon when Brom summoned both Jeod and Eragon to the study. Brom gestured at Eragon. "Now that you can help us, I think it's time to move ahead."
"What do you have in mind?" asked Eragon.
A fierce smile danced on Brom's face. Jeod groaned. "I know that look; it's what got us into trouble in the first place."
"A slight exaggeration," said Brom, "but not unwarranted. Very well, this is what we'll do. . . ."
We leave tonight or tomorrow, Eragon told Saphira from within his room.
This is unexpected. Will you be safe during this venture?
Eragon shrugged. I don't know. We may end up fleeing Teirm with soldiers on our heels. He felt her worry and tried to reassure her. It'll be all right. Brom and I can use magic, and we're good fighters.
He lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. His hands shook slightly, and there was a lump in his throat. As sleep overcame him, he felt a wave of confusion. I don't want to leave Teirm, he suddenly realized. The time I've spent here has been—almost normal. What I would give not to keep uprooting myself. To stay here and be like everyone else would be wonderful. Then, another thought raged through him, But I'll never be able to while Saphira is around. Never.
Dreams owned his consciousness, twisting and directing it to their whims. At times he quaked with fear; at others he laughed with pleasure. Then something changed—it was as though his eyes had been opened for the first time—and a dream came to him that was clearer than any before.
He saw a young woman, bent over by sorrow, chained in a cold, hard cell. A beam of moonlight shone through a barred window set high in the wall and fell on her face. A single tear rolled down her cheek, like a liquid diamond.
Eragon rose with a start and found himself crying uncontrollably before sinking back into a fitful sleep.