Kvistr by Melissa Nichols (best books to read .TXT) 📖

the previous day, one scroll at a time. If Vegz answered all of the questions based on one scroll correctly, that scroll was removed and replaced with another. In fact, Eragon tested Alanna in the same way to be sure she had read the scrolls.Arya was back in the classroom, having personally trained the elven ambassador and the troop about handling the eggs and keeping the records. She had assured Eragon that if an egg were to hatch, the ambassador would make contact, thus leaving her free to further her studies. She had also told the egg-bearing parade what settlements to visit, and in what order, so she knew exactly where they should be in a day-to-day basis.

Despite Alanna’s new claustrophobia, her studies progressed well. Sparring with Murtagh had proven to be a challenge, a lesson in its own right. Though she was tired after sparring him, Murtagh had incredible stamina, and the match forced Alanna to hold out long enough to finish the match. Because of this, her stamina also increased.After noticing this, she noticed certain aspects of herself changed based on her sparring partner. When she fought Eragon, she had to use brute strength because Eragon favored it heavily. With Arya, she ahd to be agile, nimble and sure-footed. With Murtagh, she had to do only the minimum so she could pack more energy into her attacks and defenses.Eragon had also started teaching his class about archery. While it was a refresher course for Arya and Murtagh, it was a new art for Vegz and Alanna. Alanna found it to be especially difficult so she preferred practicing archery when she was outside.But Alanna wasn’t the only one whose training was upset. Because of his age, Faolan was expected to begin breathing fire soon. As a result, his mother added an element to his daily training: Sustaining an exhale with a single lungful. To help him with this, Aanna had used magic to create a bubble that would attach itself to his mouth and fill with air as he exhaled. While Foaln was doing this, the older three dragons would do the same thing, with a few differences. They would breathe fire on a giant boulder and hold the flame for as long as possible.During one such exercise, on the seventh day following their return to Ellesmera, Faolan achieved the final milestone of his life. At eighteen weeks old, Faolan breathed fire.The second it registered to her, Alanna jumped out of her chair and shouted in job. Vegz and his female dragon jumped heavily, but the others were not surprised at her outburst. Arya didn’t look up from her scroll, Eragon smiled, and Murtagh grinned and offered a high five.At the same time, Saphira and Firnen swarmed their son to nuzzle him, Saphira doing more nuzzling than was normal for her. Faolan was now an adult, and that wasn’t easy for any intelligent mother to accept. After a few minutes, Alanna sat down and Saphira nad Firnen went back to their training. But, Saphira rolled out the boulder she had shaped for the Agheti Blodhren four years ago. She directed Faolan to take It home and practice every night, reminding him that fire was one of a dragon’s more important skills. Abandoning the spot away from his parents, Faolan stood beside his mother and did his best to heat the rock, listening to her advice and tips about the curve of his neck, the position of his tongue and the distance his jaws were parted all playing a part in the temperature, the volume and the direction of his flame.

The rest of the day passed as usual, but that night Alanna didn’t read he scrolls. Instead, she and Faolan went flying to celebrate. When they got home, Faolan didn’t sleep. Instead, he spent the night practicing his fire breathing. Being a dragon, he could sacrifice a couple nights of sleep without adverse affects.

Chapter 17

Six weeks passed so slowly. The only thing that changed for Alanna was she was now able to focus in the crowded hut, which meant no more late night studying. She still hadn’t fully grasped the skills needed for archery but she never stopped trying to develop them. However, she could now hold her own against all three older Riders when they clashed swords and had proven to be a formidable opponent.Alanna’s training had also turned away from facts and scrolls, and turned into the more tactful. She had begun her training as a peacekeepers, which required diplomacy. In fact, she wasn’t the only one entering this stage of training. Arya and Murtagh were as well. Where before they would be reading scrolls, Eragon now described various military and civilian scenarios were the objective was to, if military, to defeat the enemy with a minimum of losses to their side. If the scenario was civilian, then they were to find a compromise for the two arguing parties. At first, Alanna wasn’t very good at either, so she made her battle plan based on a number of factors, often picking the most effective tactics from the other’s plans and integrating them and a few others into her plan. As a result, Alanna’s plan was often the most accepted by Eragon. However, it was also soon apparent that while Alanna excelled at military tactics, she failed miserably with civilian disputes. That honor went to, surprisingly enough, Murtagh.

Faolan’s training progress well. He had turned six months and only Thorn could match him when it came to breathing fire. He had worked hard every day, often heating up the boulder Saphira had loaned him well into the night and even until dawn. He had proudly worked hard for the stamina and accuracy he now claimed, though he was still unmatched in the water.

A couple days following Faolan’s entry into adulthood, Eragon interrupted the usual course of study.“I’ve received word from Nasuada about a domestic problem that her band of magicians cannot solve, despite all of their best efforts. She is turning to us for help in solving this issue. Murtagh, I’m sending you and Alanna to resolve this dispute. Take today to prepare. You’ve a long journey ahead because you go without your dragons. No, hear me out.” He raised a hand as both Murtagh and Alanna opened their mouths to argue. “I understand how you feel, but when you get back I expect you both to share memories with your dragons so I feel they are better suited here for now. In the old order, this was sometimes done so they will grow stronger apart so they are that much stronger when they are together once again. Also, because you’ll be going on foot, this will be a good opportunity for the two of you to become friends. The dispute is in Ceunon, two farmers fighting over a piece of land. As I said, take today to prepare and, when you’re ready, head out. The sooner you get to Ceunon the better. I’ll expect nightly reports once you get to Osilon. Alanna, learn what you can from Murtagh in this area and learn from his example. Good luck.” And with that, Eragon disappeared inside the hut, leaving his bewildered students with no time to argue. Alanna sighed and went to Faolan.

I’ll fly you back to Ellesmera. Thorn said as he came up to them.

I’ll fly Alanna. She’s my Rider. Faolan growled as he stepped between Alanna and the red dragon, his possessiveness reverberating through their mental link.

Clearly, Faolan felt a Rider should ride only his or her dragon, just as the bonded dragon should fly only his or her Rider.

You still need all of the hours of training you can get, young one. Don’t mistake your recent achievement of fire breathing for adequate training. You may be old enough now to sire eggs, but you still have years of training and experience to gain before you should feel any measure of confidence. I, however, am four years old and have received much training, dark as it is. I can sacrifice the two hours of flight. You cannot. I will fly our Riders to Ellesmera, and you will stay here and learn from your mother like the student you are. Thorn growled back, pulling himself up to his full height, baring his teeth, and slapping his tail on the ground in agitation.Faolan was not impressed by Thorn’s display or lecture and retaliated readily with a display of his own. He flared his wings, stood on his hind legs and roared in Thorn’s face, a direct challenge. Thorn roared back, nearly deafening Alanna, and flared his own wings, snapping his teeth an inch from Faolan’s snout. Faolan was about to attack the bigger dragon, but he was suddenly several yards away from his opponent, both of his parents separating him from the red dragon. Saphira growled at her son, clearly displeased.

Thorn is right, Faolan. You still need much training, while he does not. Saphira intervened with the tough, immovable voice of a teacher. Thorn will fly Alanna to Ellesmera, and you will spend the next two days and nights doing exercises, the likes of which you have never experienced and won’t want to experience ever again, and when those two days are over, you won’t get a day of recuperation. You’ll be training every day as usual. She continued in the ancient language, thus binding Faolan to Saphira’s promise. Faolan felt the weight of the order and his wings folded against his side as his head dipped, acknowledging Saphira as his superior, the head of the flock.

Alanna didn’t know what to feel. On one hand, she was proud of him for fighting to spend an hour with her when they would be separated for at least a week. On the other, she was disappointed in him for picking a fight with an older, more powerful dragon who would have won the fight simply by pushing Faolan over and pinning him to the ground with a paw.

With the testosterone now fleeing, Faolan’s mind cleared and he realized what he had done. Shame, humiliation and regret flooded his being as he lowered his head more to display those feelings. Alanna felt a pang of sympathy for the hard seventy-two hours ahead of him, and related her feelings to her partner as she lithely jumped the path to Thorn’s saddle, where Murtagh was already settled.

I’ll be back before you know it.

I’ll miss you, Alanna.

I’ll miss you, too. Try not to piss off anymore of the flock. I don’t think you’d be able to handle anymore non-stop training like the kind Saphira-elda’s promising.

I’ll do my best. He replied, chuckling in his drakonian way. Before they could exchange anymore goodbyes, Thorn’s massive wings had carried himself and his riders into the sky. Those same wings gave him speed that soon had Alanna’s mind completely separated from Faolan’s. She did, however, hear what Saphira had planned for her son over the next three days and Alanna cringed as Faolan had silently groaned.

The flight to Ellesmera took an hour, though it felt longer to Alanna. Her mind being severed form Faolan’s was a first, and she mourned the companionship and comfort to her soul that their mental link had provided.As they passed over