Kvistr by Melissa Nichols (elon musk reading list .TXT) 📕

egg began to squeak and move, thus waking Alanna from her dreams.Confused, Alanna looked around the now silent room until she was sure she was hearing things or it was a mouse from outside. She settled down to continue to sleep when she heard the noise again, but this time louder and the squeak was accompanied by a few taps. She bolted upright and located the egg on the shelf against the wall farthest from her bed. As she watched, it wriggled vigorously, the squeaks coming faster and louder as the taps increased in volume and intensity. Finally, propelled by the force of its rocking, the egg fell to the floor and shattered. There, on the floor, struggling to right itself, was an amethyst purple dragon hatchling.Disbelieving her eyes, Alanna threw off her covers and carefully approached the dragon, trying not to startle it. The dragon managed to right itself and now it was trying to figure out how to stand up, using its wings as balance. Alanna watched from a safe distance, sitting cross legged on the floor, watching with absolute fascination as the dragon managed to stand and take a couple of wobbly steps toward her. When it was almost within reach, the dragon stumbled and Alanna didn't even pause to think as she shot forward to support the hatchling. Upon contact with her right hand, an icy blast of mind-numbing pain shot up her arm, all of the way to her shoulders and even into her teeth. Screaming, she clenched her arm in her other hand and curled up into a ball. Several minutes later, just as the pain was leaving and her mind returned to working capacity, she heard footsteps running down her hallway. Horror shot through her when she heard Gerard's voice, shouting orders. She looked at her dragon and realized that Gerard would kill the hatchling to keep her under his roof. Scooping up the dragon, and ignoring its squeaks of disapproval, she ran to her window, climbed out and ran for Tialdari Hall, screaming for help. She looked back and saw Gerard poking his head out her window and look at her. He swore violently and climbed out the window to run after her. Alanna urged as much speed as she could out of her limbs and practically flew down the road. She didn't hear the thud-thud, thud-thud until there was a deafening roar and Firnen and Saphira dropped out of the sky. Saphira landed above Alanna, Firnen slightly ahead, and both dragons glared at Gerard, snarling ferociously, Saphira looking about ready to kill him. Knowing she was safe, protected by the three-year old fire-breathing dragons, Alanna stopped under Saphira's belly and watched with relish as the color fled from Gerard's face as he faced both angry dragons."Alanna!"She turned and saw Eragon and Arya both running toward her, swords brandished and shining in the moonlight. Eragon's sword, Brisingr, was the same blue as Saphira's scales, made especially for him by Rhunon, the swordsmith. Arya held her own emerald green sword.Both Riders stepped in front of her protectively. While Eragon yelled at Gerard for the disturbance and corrected the situation, Arya put away her sword and coaxed Alanna and Firnen to Tialdari Hall. At Tialdari Hall, where Arya and the aristocratic elves in Ellesmera lived, Alanna was given a temporary room to stay in for the night. Arya stayed with her for a while, to make sure Alanna and her dragon were both calm enough to sleep and were comfortable, even giving the dragon some mice that were kept in a cage purely to be used as food for a hatchling dragon. Alanna didn't even notice she was supposed to be calming down. She just kept talking about living at Gerard's and how glad she was to be out, and how much she owed her dragon for getting her out. As if knowing it was being talked about, the dragon managed to jump onto the bed and nestled itself against her side, its head resting on Alanna's chest, looking at her with big, innocent purple eyes.Alanna stopped short, mid-sentence, as something blocked her window. Suddenly, there was a giant eye looking in. Are you harmed, child? A musical voice floated into her head in a fashion similar to the one she used with her brother."No, Saphira-elda. Thank you so much for rescuing me. I've no doubt my uncle wanted to kill my dragon. He's a cruel elf." She picked up the hatchling to settle it closer to her, feeling rather protective. Yes, he is. Thank you for protecting my son.

"Your son?" So her dragon was male…and Saphira's son!

Yes. Your dragon is my son. And you risked the wrath of your uncle to protect him. Thank you.

"Oh, uh…you're welcome, Saphira-elda." Alanna bowed to her and let her dragon jump to the windowsill, figuring he was curious about what he was seeing. Saphira righted her head to sniff and then to try to nuzzle him, which was rather difficult because Saphira's snout was too large to fit into the window. A sound that was obviously a purr came from her dragon, while a deeper version rumbled from Saphira."Alanna?" Came a male voice form the doorway. She turned to see Eragon standing there."Eragon-elda." She greeted him and got out of bed to curtsy to him."Saphira tells me your dragon is one of her children."

"It seems so. I think she is happy one of her eggs has hatched."

"Yes, she is. She's looking forward to teaching him everything Glaedr taught her. May I come in?"

"Oh, yes, please." Alanna gestured to her bed and climbed back in, covering her lower half with the blankets. Eragon sat down and faced her."Do you understand that now that you're a Rider, you'll need training?"

"Yes."

"Good. Since your dragon can't fly yet, you'll fly to your lessons with Arya and Firnen to the Crags of Tel'naeir tomorrow. I'll meet you there."

"Yes, Eragon-elda. Arya-elda, will you wake me up? I don't wish to be late."

"Yes, of course I will. Now, it's late. You should sleep, Alanna." Arya suggested in a friendly tone as she finished tucking in Alanna."Thank you both for saving my dragon and I." She whispered, feeling her energy drain."Of course, Alanna. Good night." She thought Eragon leaned in to pat her head before he and Arya left. Whether he did or not, she was asleep before long.

Chapter 4

Alanna woke up the next morning when she heard Arya calling her name and knocking on her door. She forced her heartbeat to speed up and her breathing to deepen as she pulled herself out of her waking dreams."Good morning, Arya. I'll be out in a little bit." She called as she stretched and yawned."Okay, Alanna. I went back to your uncle's last night to get your stuff. Your clothes are out here."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." Alanna moved her dragon off of her chest, much to his protest, and went to the door. She opened it and her suitcase was indeed there but there was no sign of Arya. Alanna shrugged and grabbed her suitcase and brought it into her room. She went through her suitcase and found one of her many purple shirts and a pair of animal hide pants. Purple was her favorite color. She thought she looked her best when she was wearing a deep purple because of her pale skin, purple eyes and straight black, waist-length hair.After she was dressed, she braided her hair and then made it into a bun by twisting the braid around itself until it curled up, then wrapped the rest of the braid around it. She fastened it in place with a leather band that was enhanced by a spell of elasticity, and then tied a thick purple ribbon over the band. She did this because she didn't want her hair to get in the way of training, whatever it may be.After washing her face and hands, Alanna used mental and physical encouragements to get her dragon to follow her down the hall and to the dining room, where she ate with Arya. Her dragon jumped into the seat beside her and tried to get onto the table, but Alanna didn't let him. She reached out to her dragon's mind and mentally reprimanded him with an impression of displeasure, and then she accompanied the feeling with the word 'no'. She knew dragons didn't naturally have control over a language involving words and preferred to use images and impressions, so she figured it was best to begin getting him used to words immediately. She didn't like the first word he knew was one of displeasure, but he'll be learning a lot more words in the coming months so this was just simply part of his training. Why did that not make her feel better?After breakfast, Arya, Alanna and her dragon went outside to where Firnen was waiting, already saddled. While Arya climbed up, Alana bent down to scoop up her dragon. Firnen lowered his head to look at the hatchling, whom was supremely interested in Firnen. She let them smell each other before Firnen turned away. Jumping as high as she could, Alana landed on Firnen's elbow. She jumped again to land on his shoulder, and then again to land on his back, between two of his spikes. She sat down and held tight to her dragon, using her mind to tell him to not struggle, while she clamped her legs around Firnen when the huge dragon suddenly moved.Try to hold on, Alanna. Firnen suggested and Alana grabbed the spike in front of her with one hand as Firnen leaned back on his haunches and launched himself into the air. She squealed and clung tighter to the spike and to her dragon, determined to not let him fall.Once Firnen had risen above the canopy and leveled out, Alanna let her grip on her dragon relax. She didn't remove her arm, though. She kept her arm around him but with just enough tension to keep him in place. Now sure she wouldn't fall, Alanna let herself look around at the forest passing below them. Sometime during the flight, Eragon and Saphira joined up with them.At the Crags, Saphira and Firnen landed outside of a hut and the Riders got off. Alanna watched as Eragon bid their dragons goodbye before the two dragons flew back into the sky. Once the two lizards were out of sight, Eragon turned to face his two students."First, we'll all do the Rimgar. Alanna, come on beside me so you can see well." He backed up away from the hut a bit as Arya took up her place beside him. Alanna went on his other side and did her best to copy him. It was hard work, but since the Rimgar was meant to tone the body and exercise the muscles, it was supposed to be hard work. After an hour of the Rimgar, which felt like an eternity to Alanna, Arya were sent into the forest to listen. Eragon turned to her and knelt down to Alanna's height."Alanna, first, congratulations on becoming a Rider. I hope you realize that it's a title that most don't win, and the responsibility and honor involved in it."

"I have a pretty good idea