Brisingr

I know, but we cannot protect everyone in this war.
Gesturing at Saphira, Eragon said, “Go on; climb onto her. I’ll join you in a moment.”
Katrina hesitated, then glanced at Roran, who nodded and murmured, “It’s all right.
Saphira brought us here.” Together, the couple skirted the corpse of the Lethrblaka as
they went over to Saphira, who crouched flat upon her belly so that they could mount her.
Cupping his hands to form a step, Roran lifted Katrina high enough to pull herself over
the upper part of Saphira’s left foreleg. From there Katrina clambered the looped leg
straps of the saddle, as if a ladder, until she sat perched upon the crest of Saphira’s
shoulders. Like a mountain goat leaping from one ledge to another, Roran duplicated her
ascent.
Crossing the cave after them, Eragon examined Saphira, assessing the severity of her
various scrapes, gashes, tears, bruises, and stab wounds. To do so, he relied upon what
she herself felt, in addition to what he could see.
For goodness’ sake, said Saphira, save your attentions until we are well out of danger.
I’m not going to bleed to death.
That’s not quite true, and you know it. You’re bleeding inside. Unless I stop it now, you
may suffer complications I can’t heal, and then we’ll never get back to the Varden. Don’t
argue; you can’t change my mind, and I won’t take a minute.
As it turned out, Eragon required several minutes to restore Saphira to her former health.
Her injuries were severe enough that in order to complete his spells, he had to empty the
belt of Beloth the Wise of energy and, after that, draw upon Saphira’s own vast reserves
of strength. Whenever he shifted from a larger wound to a smaller one, she protested that
he was being foolish and would he please leave off, but he ignored her complaints, much
to her growing displeasure.
Afterward, Eragon slumped, tired from the magic and the fighting. Flicking a finger
toward the places where the Lethrblaka had skewered her with their beaks, he said, You
should have Arya or another elf inspect my handiwork on those. I did my best, but I may
have missed something.
I appreciate your concern for my welfare, she replied, but this is hardly the place for
softhearted demonstrations. Once and for all, let us be gone!
Aye. Time to leave. Stepping back, Eragon edged away from Saphira, in the direction of
the tunnel behind him.
“Come on!” called Roran. “Hurry up!”
Eragon! exclaimed Saphira.
Eragon shook his head. “No. I’m staying here.”
“You—” Roran started to say, but a ferocious growl from Saphira interrupted him. She
lashed her tail against the side of the cave and raked the floor with her talons, so that
bone and stone squealed in what sounded like mortal agony.
“Listen!” shouted Eragon. “One of the Ra’zac is still on the loose. And think what else
might be in Helgrind: scrolls, potions, information about the Empire’s activities—things
that can help us! The Ra’zac may even have eggs of theirs stored here. If they do, I have
to destroy them before Galbatorix can claim them for his own.”
To Saphira, Eragon also said, I can’t kill Sloan, I can’t let Roran or Katrina see him, and I
can’t allow him to starve to death in his cell or Galbatorix’s men to recapture him. I’m
sorry, but I have to deal with Sloan on my own.
“How will you get out of the Empire?” demanded Roran.