Noble watched Emira walk away as she reviewed what had just happened.
While there was cold calculation in most of the Queen's choices, she also had a wildly unpredictable temper.
'Either that is her flaw or she has some serious anger issues.'
Being slammed into the wall reminded Noble of just how powerful the fiery woman was. And the hateful look in Emira's eyes when she was using the flames to suck the life out of her niece was nothing short of frightening.
Emira's lapse in judgment had come close to ending Noble.
'I have to be more careful. I cannot hesitate when my life is at stake! I will need to give it all I have.'
Noble's distaste for murder mixed with the utter shock of being caught in such a situation had rendered the Duelist helpless.
She could have tried to push away the woman's hand, worked to change Emira's emotions, or even thrown the Queen back and dangled her above the arena. Anything would have been preferable to death!
This wasn't the Dreamscape where she had yielded to Mongrel to protect her identity. This death would have been permanent.
Thankfully, Counsel had spoken up for her before Emira had followed through with her fury.
'I owe him for saving me.' Noble glanced to check on her protector.
The dim light of the exit barely touched Counsel's worried face. He ushered her forward. "Let's get out of here."
Kosi knelt to allow the woman onto his back.
Noble opened her mouth to deny her need for the ride when she coughed instead. There had been no smoke with Emira's normal fire, but in stealing the flames from the wall, she had brought the smokey oil with it.
Noble's lungs longed for fresh air. Nodding, she climbed on Kosi. She clung to the soft fur, reveling in the comfort being grounded brought her.
The trio exited to the garden courtyard where Kosi sprawled out on the grass.
"Stay here. I will go get the healer immediately." Counsel's voice was somber.
"No!" Noble remained on Kosi's back for a moment before reluctantly floating over the ground.
"Are you sure?" Helping her dismount, Counsel watched her carefully as Noble removed her helmet. His relief was profound.
"I will be fine once I can get the smoke out of my lungs." Noble forced a cough and then a smile. "I should heal just fine on my own."
"You are not burned?!" The man tilted his head. Noble realized he had expected to see her flesh scarred beyond recognition. It was no wonder he had been absolutely silent on the trip outside!
"I have good armor," Noble touched the black and gold metal with her gauntlet.
The man's eyes opened wide as he looked at the armor with new appreciation. "Your mother left you with a great gift! It must be enchanted to be able to hold back Her Majesty's flames."
Noble smiled, keeping her thoughts to herself. 'It is enchanted with the best charm Memory. I owe Sarai for helping me acquire it!'
Sarai had bought it for Noble from her neighbor's Emporium. In order to keep Queen Bee's identity a secret, Fireshing had conducted the transaction alone.
The auburn-haired baker sang the praises of the business manager, Aiko, who had helped her select just the right charm. Both ladies deserved Noble's utmost gratitude.
As did the man in front of her.
"Thank you for intervening," Noble nodded graciously. "I was not sure how that was going to end."
Now that he was sure the woman was alright, Counsel smiled slowly. "You put up far more of a fight than she was expecting. She isn't used to being challenged like that."
"You don't seem like you were anticipating it either." Noble noted the hint of surprise in the man's voice.
"A few weeks ago, I would not have believed my eyes, but I saw how you held your own out on the battlefield. Protecting the runes was particularly impressive." Counsel touched his forehead in acknowledgment.
"You saw that?" Noble wondered how in the world the man had been able to split his attention to witness her taking down the deranged goats.
"Only part of it, but I know how brutal those things can be. We lose more men to them than most anything the Lord of the Mountain can throw at us." The protector shook his head. "But that was nothing compared to what happened just now. That was amazing!"
Noble rubbed the back of her neck and averted her gaze. She heard people praise Queen Bee all the time, but that persona was always detached from her normal self.
Counsel was there complimenting her to her face. It was a strange feeling. She wasn't sure whether to graciously accept or humbly deny the praise.
"I only hope the Queen feels that way after she gets over being upset with me," Noble deflected instead.
Some of the joy drained from Counsel's face. "We cannot predict what Her Majesty will do. Most likely she will ignore that it ever happened. She would never want people to think she is weak, especially not against you."
"Why 'especially' me?" Noble caught the man's extra emphasis on the word.
She felt the man's emotion spike.
At that moment, Kosi stood and hissed. Counsel drew his sword and looked in the direction of the disturbance.
At the top of the courtyard wall, a man was perched in a black cloak, looking like a gargoyle in one of the crenels.
"Is that a palace guard?" Noble asked. She hadn't seen any men patrolling the wall before, so she had no idea of their uniform.
"Surely that fool has not come to gawk at the Queen's garden. So what is he up to?" Counsel mused as he protected Noble from view with his body. "I'll get to the bottom of this. You there!" He shouted, "Come down and explain yourself!"
The figure stood slowly, seeming for a moment like he might comply.
But rather than find a way into the palace, he stepped backward and disappeared from view.
Noble locked on him to lift him then faltered. Her eyes opened wide.
By the time she recovered, the man was out of her sight and out among the people of the city.
"Kosi?" Counsel said calmly. "Fetch."
The Symncus snarled and bounded forward. He looked like a completely different creature than the one that had just been lazing about on the grass without a care in the world.
The golden terror tore through the flowers, uprooting a few and trampling many more in his pursuit of the trespasser.
Then with a gargantuan leap, Kosi jumped on a stone planter halfway up the wall and then to the top of the crenellations. He disappeared from view a moment later.
Noble furrowed her brow.
"Don't worry. We will get him." Counsel assured her.
"No, you won't. He is gone." Noble had searched through the many emotional signatures of the townspeople and found the intruder just as he exited her range. He narrowly evaded being lifted through the air back toward her.
'Or at least holding him in place until Kosi got there…'
Noble rubbed her forehead. If only she could leave the walls and fly after him!
They waited in silence, hoping that the Symncus would prove Noble wrong.
They were disappointed. As Kosi entered the garden from a different angle, he climbed down gingerly and joined the pair once more.
Counsel listened to him carefully before cursing loudly.
"What is it?" Noble did not like being left in the dark.
"Kosi says the man was too good at hiding his scent. He ducked into the market and disappeared without a trace."
Nodding slowly, Noble hummed. "That makes sense. He must live around there."
Counsel's expression changed from anger to confusion. "You know him?"
"Not exactly. But I've seen him before." Noble pressed her lips together in a firm line.
She recalled the stranger who had disappeared after locking eyes with her on the day she arrived. It was the same person who was on the wall just now.
"I don't know who he is, but I can tell you this much. He wasn't here to gawk. He was looking for me."