The sound was stabbing, slicing, shivering, like metal scraping
Against stone. Eragon’s teeth vibrated in sympathy, a n d he covered
His ears with his hands, grimacing as he twisted around,
Trying to locate the source of the noise. Saphira tossed her head, and even
Through the din, he heard her whine in distress.
Eragon swept his gaze over the courtyard twice before he noticed a faint
Puff of dust rising up the wall of the keep from a foot-wide crack that had
Appeared beneath the blackened, partially destroyed window where
Blödhgarm had killed the magician. As the squeal increased in intensity,
Eragon risked lifting a hand off one ear to point at the crack.
“Look!” he shouted to Arya, who nodded in acknowledgment. He replaced his
Hand over his ear.
Without warning or preamble, the sound stopped.
Eragon waited for a moment, then slowly lowered his hands, for once wishing
That his hearing was not quite so sensitive.
Just as he did, the crack jerked open wider – spreading until it was several feet
Across – and raced down the wall of the keep. Like a bolt of lightning, the crack
Struck and shattered the keystone above the door to the building, showering the
Floor below with pebble-sized rocks. The whole castle groaned, and from the
Damaged window to the broken keystone, the front of the keep began to
Lean outward.
“Run!” Eragon shouted at the Varden, though the men were already scattering
To either side of the courtyard, desperate to get out from under the precarious
Wall. Eragon took a single step forward, every muscle in his body tense as he
Searched for a glimpse of Roran somewhere in the throng of warriors.
At last Eragon spotted him, trapped behind the last group of men by the
Doorway, bellowing madly at them, his words lost in the commotion. Then the
Wall shifted and dropped several inches, leaning even farther away from the rest
Of the building, pelting Roran with rocks, knocking him off balance and forcing
Him to stumble backward under the overhang of the doorway.
As Roran straightened from a crouch, his eyes met Eragon’s, and in his gaze,
Eragon saw a flash of fear and helplessness, quickly followed by resignation, as if
Roran knew that, no matter how fast he ran, he could not possibly reach safety in
Time.
A wry smile touched Roran’s lips.
And the wall fell.
(No Ratings Yet)