Eragon [en]

Angela added sourly, “Yes, and it almost killed you as well. It’s taken all of my skill to keep the two of you alive.”

A twinge of unease shot through Eragon, matching the intensity of his throbbing head. My back... But he felt no bandages there. “How long have I been here?” he asked with trepidation.

“Only a day and a half,” answered Angela. “You’re lucky I was around, otherwise it would’ve taken you weeks to heal — if you had even lived.” Alarmed, Eragon pushed the blankets off his torso and twisted around to feel his back. Angela caught his wrist with her small hand, worry reflected in her eyes. “Eragon... you have to understand, my power is not like yours or Arya’s. It depends on the use of herbs and potions. There are limits to what I can do, especially with such a large—”

He yanked his hand out of her grip and reached back, fingers groping. The skin on his back was smooth and warm, flawless. Hard muscles flexed under his fingertips as he moved. He slid his hand toward the base of his neck and unexpectedly felt a hard bump about a half-inch wide. He followed it down his back with growing horror. Durza’s blow had left him with a huge, ropy scar, stretching from his right shoulder to the opposite hip.

Pity showed on Arya’s face as she murmured, “You have paid a terrible price for your deed, Eragon Shadeslayer.”

Murtagh laughed harshly. “Yes. Now you’re just like me.”

Dismay filled Eragon, and he closed his eyes. He was disfigured. Then he remembered something from when he was unconscious... a figure in white who had helped him. A cripple who was whole — Togira Ikonoka. He had said, Think of what you have done and rejoice, for you have rid the land of a great evil. You have wrought a deed no one else could. Many are in your debt...

Come to me Eragon, for I have answers to all you ask.

A measure of peace and satisfaction consoled Eragon.

I will come.

END OF BOOK ONE

THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN Eldest, BOOK TWO OF INHERITANCE

PRONUNCIATION

Ajihad — AH-zhi-hod

Alagaesia — al-uh-GAY-zee-uh

Arya — AR-ee-uh

Carvahall — CAR-vuh-hall

Dras-Leona — DRAHS-lee-OH-nuh

Du Weldenvarden — doo WELL-den-VAR-den

Eragon — EHR-uh-gahn

Farthen Dur — FAR-then DURE (dure rhymes with lure)

Galbatorix — gal-buh-TOR-icks

Gil’ead — GILL-ee-id

Jeod — JODE (rhymes with load)

Murtagh — MUR-tag (mur rhymes with purr)

Ra’zac — RAA-zack

Saphira — suh-FEAR-uh

Shruikan — SHREW-kin

Teirm — TEERM

Tronjheim — TRONJ-heem

Vrael — VRAIL

Yazuac — YA-zoo-ack

Zar’roc — ZAR-rock

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I created Eragon, but its success is the result of the enthusiastic efforts of friends, family, fans, librarians, teachers, students, school administrators, distributors, booksellers, and many more. I wish I could mention by name all the people who have helped, but the list is very, very long. You know who you are, and I thank you!

Eragon was first published in early 2002 by my parents’ publishing company, Paolini International LLC. They had already released three books, so it was only natural to do the same with Eragon. We knew Eragon would appeal to a wide range of readers; our challenge was to spread the word about it.

During 2002 and the beginning of 2003, I traveled throughout the United States doing over 130 book signings and presentations in schools, bookstores, and libraries. My mother and I arranged all the events. At first I had only one or two appearances per month, but as we became more efficient at scheduling, our homemade book tour expanded to the point where I was on the road almost continuously.

I met thousands of wonderful people, many of whom became loyal fans and friends. One of those fans is Michelle Frey, now my editor at Knopf Books for Young Readers, who approached me with an offer to acquire Eragon. Needless to say, I was delighted that Knopf was interested in my book.

Thus, there are two groups of people who deserve thanks. The first assisted with the production of the Paolini International LLC edition of Eragon, while the second is responsible for the Knopf edition.

Here are the brave souls who helped bring Eragon into existence:

The original gang: my mother for her thoughtful red pen and wonderful help with commas, colons, semicolons, and other assorted beasties; my father for his smashing editing job, all the time he spent hammering my vague, wayward thoughts into line, formatting the book and designing the cover, and listening to so many presentations; Grandma Shirley for helping me create a satisfactory beginning and ending; my sister for her plot advice, her good humor at being portrayed as an herbalist in Eragon, and her long hours Photoshopping Saphira’s eye on the cover; Kathy Tyers for giving me the means to do a brutal — and much- needed — rewrite of the first three chapters; John Taliaferro for his advice and wonderful review; a fan named Tornado — Eugene Walker — who caught a number of copyediting errors; and Donna Overall for her love of the story, editing and formatting advice, and keen eye for all things concerning ellipses, em dashes, widows, orphans, kerning, and run-on sentences. If there’s a real-life Dragon Rider, she’s one — selflessly coming to the rescue of writers lost in the Swamp of Commas. And I thank my family for supporting me wholeheartedly... and for reading this saga more times than any sane person should have to.

The new gang: Michelle Frey, who not only loved the story enough to take a chance on an epic fantasy written by a teenager but also managed to streamline Eragon’s pacing through her insightful editing; my agent, Simon Lipskar, who helped find the best home for Eragon; Chip Gibson and Beverly Horowitz for the wonderful offer; Lawrence Levy for his good humor and legal advice; Judith Haut, publicity whiz of the first degree; Daisy Kline for the awe-inspiring marketing campaign; Isabel Warren-Lynch, who designed the lovely book jacket, interior, and map; John Jude Palencar, who painted the jacket art (I actually named Palancar Valley for him long before he ever worked on Eragon); Artie Bennett, the doyen of copyediting and the only man alive who understood the difference between to scry it and to scry on it; and the entire team at Knopf who have made this adventure possible.