Chapter 9: Strangers in Carvahall

The next morning, Roran and Eragon leave for Carvahall, waving goodbye to Garrow as he offers words of wisdom for Eragon and money for Roran. They meet Dempton, Roran’s new boss as the blacksmiths and Eragon takes a dislike to him immediately. The blacksmith pulls Eragon aside and asks him about the blue stone, warning him that two odd men were looking for a similar stone and that Eragon should be rid of it.

Horst tells Eragon that no one betrayed him for having the stone but that he should be wary as the strangers gave him a bad feeling. After hugging his cousin and waving goodbye, Eragon overhears Sloan speaking to two hissing voices about an incidence that happened 3 months ago. After some threats by the two voices and reassurances by Sloan, the two turn to see Eragon and begin approaching them with their swords unsheathing. Brom enters the scene at the last minute, calling Eragon’s name and scaring off the strangers.

Brom accepts Eragon’s excuses of dizziness and urges him to return him. He asks one more time about the trader who offered so much information about dragons. Eragon is unable to answer any questions though. As Eragon leaves, he shakes Brom’s hand and his glove comes off, revealing the oval shaped mark on his palm. He runs off before Brom can say anything.

Chapter 10: Flight of Destiny

Eragon runs home quickly and finds his uncle outside, near the barn. He decides to go to Saphira first, to show his uncle and make sure he believes him. As he approaches her, she becomes agitated by the news of the strangers and the smell of blood. Eragon climbs on her back and she flies away, unable to calm down.

Eragon clings for his life as she flies high above the woods, making him sick. He tries to get her to return but in her fright, she refuses angrily. She flies all the way to the Spine and when he finally falls to the snow from her back, he is in horrible pain. When he questions why she took him away, she tells him the strangers were killers and he becomes angry that his uncle is in danger. As night approaches, Eragon sleeps within Saphira’s wings, realizing that he might be too late to help his uncle.

Chapter 11: The Doom of Innocence

Waking in the Spine, Eragon realizes they are in the spot where he found Saphira’s egg. Tired and hungry, Eragon asks to be returned home. She is still frightened, but his angry accusations force her to take him back. When they finally return, the farm is in ruins and Saphira immediately sense the horrors that have occurred.

In Eragon’s anger, he blames Saphira for the destruction, though she claims she has saved his life. They dig through the rubble and finally find Garrow, unearthing him of the rubble. His body is horribly burned and oozing. Saphira takes the two and flies to Carvahall, throwing Saphira’s secrecy to the wind. She drops him off near the town and Eragon begins to drag Garrow toward the town. Finally Brom arrives, running towards them, and Eragon collapses.

Chapter 12: Deathwatch

While still passed out Eragon sees silver haired men with lances boarding a ship and dragons flying above. He wakes from his dream to find he’s in the Gertrude, the town healer’s hut. Garrow is not getting any better and Eragon has been unconscious himself for more than 2 days.

She presses Eragon for answers about what happened on the farm, the entire village being curious about it as well as asking about his scar from the egg. He lies to her and goes to visit Garrow instead, being kept at Horst’s house. Horst’s family greets Eragon and show him to Garrow who is covered with unhealable burns, causing Eragon to feel that much more helpless. As Horst begins to question him as well, he hears Saphira’s shouts in his mind, finally able to get through after his recovery. They are going to have to leave the village for a while.