The Hunt

Noble expected some sort of emotional reaction from the Queen that her general was dead.

But Emira simply shook her head. 

"That is no excuse for his inability to control his soldiers!" She looked down at the man who was now face down on the ground, cowering. "What are you still doing here? Get his body back to the city. He will need to be buried before he begins to smell." 

The soldier touched his head to the grass, then stood and ran to carry out the order. 

Emira heaved a deep breath. 

"I am sorry for your loss," Noble tried. 

The Queen stiffened. "Regel is just another in a long line of generals to disappoint me. He isn't the first and he will not be the last. Even my brother was a more competent military leader."

"Still, I would think..." 

Emira clicked her tongue. "Bramwell, hurry up!" 

Noble's words were cut short as Emira admonished the approaching healer. 

Bramwell ambled toward them with his apprentice, looking even more haggard than before. "Coming, Your Majesty!" His eyes flicked to Noble and a look of bewilderment crossed his wrinkled face.

"Lady Brenna! I am surprised to see you out here. I am glad you are feeling so much better." 

"I am perfectly well, thank you." Noble felt both Counsel and Emira react to Bramwell's words.

"When were you sick?" Counsel clenched the pommel of his sword.

"This morning," Noble gave him a significant look. "But I have recovered as you can see."

"We have royal blood," Emira arched her brow. "No illness would be able to hold us for long, especially with Bramwell around. Though my healer was supposed to be here and not at the palace."

"I came as soon as I was able," Bramwell assured her.

"Well, get on with it." Haughtily, Emira held out her hand.

On cue, the healer touched the monarch's fingers gently. While another wrinkle appeared on Bramwell's face, color returned to Emira's pallid skin.

"Much better," the Queen's lips tilted up slightly. "Save your ability for only the most dire. You look like death."

"Your Majesty is always most kind," Bramwell backed away with a bow.

Emira pulled out of Noble's grasp. The younger woman had almost forgotten that she was supporting her.

"Back to the palace, Brenna. This is no place for you. I hope you enjoyed your little adventure. It will surely be your last." Emira turned her back on her niece and walked away.

Noble wasn't sure what to make of the whole encounter.

"You must have been very sick for Bramwell to need to visit you!" Counsel was suddenly wracked with guilt.

'I guess he did not understand my signal before…'

Noble opened her mouth to admit that she had faked the illness but hesitated. While no one around them was actively listening, it would still be easy to eavesdrop.

"It was just a little pain. Nothing to worry about." Noble kept her voice quiet but pleasant.

"I see. Just the same, we should get you to the palace to rest. The Queen has ordered it." Counsel looked over his shoulder and added in a low tone. "And we don't want to end up like you know who."

Noble blanched. 'Is he saying what I think he is saying?'

The pair turned and began the long walk toward the front gate. There was no Kosi to quicken their pace and even then Noble doubted that the Symncus would be able to get up the wall as easily as has gotten down.

Leaving the carnage behind, Noble waited until she was sure they were out of earshot before voicing her question.

"Do you think the Queen killed Regel?" Noble furrowed her brow.

"That was wrong of me to say. I was only joking." Counsel winced as his emotions spiked.

He was lying.

"It did not sound like a joke. Tell me the truth." Noble eyed him carefully.

"I saw the Queen and General Regel arguing before the battle. And you know how Her Majesty does not like being challenged…" Counsel coughed, "It was wrong of me to assume anything happened. I'm sure the General died valiantly."

Another lie, at least from Counsel's perspective.

Noble tapped her chin lightly.

It would be easy to hide the murder of one's adversary in the middle of a war with Nightmare Creatures. The better question was: why bother?

"Are you sure you are feeling alright? You seem out of sorts," Counsel reached for her hand but stopped short of taking it when Noble flinched.

"I admit I do not feel like myself today," she deflected.

The man's face fell. "I should have been there this morning."

"Why weren't you?" This was something that had bothered Noble deeply.

Why had one of her protectors strayed so far from her side?

Counsel rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, I had set out this morning to dig deeper into the mystery of the poisoned wine. When the call came…my vanity got the better of me. I never thought about how that would affect you. Forgive me."

'Pride goes before the fall…' Noble thought about how close Counsel had come to being crushed by some of the falling beetles.

"Is there any way your humble servant can make it up to you?" The man offered with a dip of his head.

Noble thought for a moment. "Since my head is still muddled, will you suffer answering my foolish questions? I would like your counsel, Counsel."

A soft smile graced her face.

The man responded in kind. "No question of yours would ever be foolish. I will be happy to supply any answer I have."

'Alright, here goes nothing…where should I even start?'

"That thing in the sky. What did you do to scare him off?" Noble looked warily over her shoulder to the ashen mountains. The Nightmare Creature and his minions were growing ever closer to the horizon.

"Emira did most of the work. I just said a few measly words to strengthen and direct her attack." Counsel said modestly.

Noble guessed that his part in what had happened was anything but simple.

"Sorcery?" Noble recalled how reverently Julius had used the word.

"I don't consider myself a sorcerer. I have only mastered a couple of Names." Counsel shrugged.

'Mastering Names? What does that even mean?' Clearly, there was much about sorcery that Noble did not understand.

"So you beat it by calling its name?"

"Goodness, wouldn't that be nice! Our victory was much less impressive. You see, the Lord of the Mountain lives among the ash-filled clouds. He does not like the light. Our Queen figured out long ago that her best ally against him is the sun. His skin cannot withstand it."

"Then why doesn't the Lord attack at night?"

Was the creature powerful but stupid?

"Our defenses are strongest at night. The array is strengthened by the moon's rays. Their only hope of breaking through the runes is in the daylight. Even then, their success is unlikely." Counsel stood proudly.

Noble looked at the tall city walls. Without the protective dome, the kingdom would never be able to defend itself.

An ominous premonition came over her.

'It might be good to find out more about the array and how it works.'

The professor remained silent for a long time. They entered the city—thankfully no one challenged them this time—and picked their way through the city streets.

"One final question," Noble looked to make sure the man was ready. "If the array protects the kingdom, why do you bother battling the creatures head-on?"

Other than the Tyrant and the rabid goats, none of the other creatures seemed like they could make a real dent in the stone runes.

Counsel chuckled, "How else do you propose we get our meat to feed the city? It's as close to food falling from the sky as we can get?"

Noble paled slightly. 'That…was a hunt?!'