'Think. Think. Think!' Noble froze in place, her faculties leaving her temporarily.
It was too late to turn and run. Even if Noble had tried, she was sure her body would not cooperate.
The floating Saint had felt the other woman's presence at the party before and had simply been avoiding her. It wasn't until the confrontation and then Noble's flight from Forge that she had momentarily stopped paying attention to the other lady's whereabouts.
That had been a grave mistake. Now the consequences of her choice were coming right toward her, and Noble couldn't move.
A beautiful blonde woman hurried toward them.
"There you are, Uncle! I was looking for you along the wall, yet here you are in the middle of the room!"
"Dear girl," Orum kissed his niece on the cheek. "I would not leave that safety for just anything. I came on an important mission."
"Mission?" The newcomer furrowed her brow.
"Rescuing a fellow wallflower from unwanted attention." Orum motioned to the other lady with them. "May I present Master Noble. This is my niece, Saint Helie."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance." Helie curtsied. "Anyone who can pull my uncle out of his usual antisocial behavior automatically has my seal of approval."
Noble smiled politely and dipped a curtsey.
"Saint Helie." Her words came out airier than she intended.
Saint Helie! How often had Noble pictured herself saying those very words! Even now, months after the Nightmare, they tasted of the sweetness of victory.
Noble had longed for this meeting more than even she had realized, and that was why her body had refused to run. Perhaps her Kingdom Crafter had even caused this to happen, though the professor doubted it.
Helie knit her brow. "Have we met?"
The joy that Noble had felt was consumed by sudden panic. There was a reason she had been avoiding the stunning Saint. Helie could ruin all of Noble's plans, and the words that had just been spoken had the potential to do just that.
Noble kept her voice even.
"Perhaps you know me from the Academy? I am being honored for the achievements there."
"No, that's not it," Helie tapped her chin lightly and glanced at her Uncle.
"Don't look at me. I just met her today." Orum held up his hand. "Maybe you recall her from old Brose's story earlier this evening?"
"You are the one who fell through that gate a while back?"
"That's me," Noble was still a little embarrassed by how that little adventure had started. It had made worldwide news, much to the professor's chagrin.
"Uncle Orum, do you remember how that sent Valor's Spellsmiths into a tizzy trying to recreate it?" Helie turned to her uncle, who gave a short nod.
"Indeed. One Spellsmith in particular worked on nothing else for weeks. Only Lord Anvil could redirect him in the end."
"I regret I caused them trouble," Noble saw the old man furrow his brow.
"Don't be. It is a good puzzle. Who knows? They may yet solve it!"
'I always wondered if my little adventure inspired the Sovereigns to make the Dream Gates. It seems not, at least from Orum's account.' Noble's ego was bruised slightly, but she knew better than to let it get to her.
"I wish them well." The professor dipped her head. "Well, I will get back to my place on the wall. It's been lovely meeting you both. If you'll excuse me..."
"Wait, I swear I know you from somewhere," Helie halted Noble's gracious retreat. "At least, you look very familiar. Do you have a sister?"
"I do not," the professor almost wished that she had lied, but it would be too easy to verify her family line since Ambrose knew her father. "Perhaps you know me through my husband, Ambassador Fort?"
"Doesn't ring a bell." Helie's eyes lit up. "Bell...Noble! That's it!"
The floating woman braced herself. 'Come up with an explanation quickly!'
"Your alter ego is Queen Bee!" Helie announced triumphantly.
"I...What? Oh yes, you caught me!" Noble hid her guilt behind an apologetic smile. "Though my days in the arena are few and far bee-tween now. I take it you are a fan of hers?"
"I didn't take you for a Dreamscape fanatic!" Orum looked quite amused.
"I'm not!" Helie defended herself. She winced. "No offense, Master Noble. I get the appeal. I was only watching because a companion of mine used to talk about Queen Bee whenever he got the chance. He said you were talented, nearly flawless even. So I looked up some of your old duels. He was right."
Noble knew that the man Helie was talking about was Flint. The sad tinge in Helie's voice mirrored the sadness in her soul when she said the word companion.
Noble's soul suddenly ached as well. The crotchety old curmudgeon had left a hole in both their hearts that would never fully heal. The professor was touched that Helie had gone to such lengths to honor their fallen comrade.
"Thank you for the kind words. They mean more than you know." Remembering herself, Noble coughed. "You are very generous to compliment my technique. I am sure a powerful Saint like yourself has had plenty of epic battles as well."
"Helie just got back from her Third Nightmare. She came back a Saint and a blonde." Orum winked, causing Helie to blush.
She pushed back her flaxen curls from her shoulder. "You always comment on my hair color, Uncle. Perhaps I shall make it pink next to spite you."
"I was only teasing my dear. Change it to whatever fits your fancy." Orum gave a wry smile, missing the sadness in his niece's eyes.
"Thank you, Uncle."
'Helie didn't change it just for fun. She changed it for me.' Noble remembered Helie's words back at the citadel when they first conquered the Nightmare.
Helie's spike in emotions confirmed that it was a memorial to the cohort member she lost.
'Poor Helie.' Noble opened her mouth, wishing she could speak the words her heart longed to give.
"Blonde is a lovely color."
"You should try it sometime!" Helie shook off her melancholy. "It would go wonderfully with your blue eyes. Add a violet gown, and, hm....are you sure you don't have a sister?"
"Pretty sure, but since you seem so insistent, I'll have to ask my mother," Noble's smile tightened. The other Saint was getting too close to the truth and not even on purpose!
"Don't pester the lady. If she has family secrets, let her keep them!" Orum nodded. "Does your family reside here in the NQSC?"
"No, my mother and stepfather are in Bastion, but my husband and children are in Ravenheart." Noble watched as a cloud passed over Orum's face.
"That is quite the predicament," he muttered to himself.
'Does he mean the distance or something else?'
Before Noble could ask exactly what he meant, a voice called over the crowd.
"Orie, you old rascal. You owe me a game of cards. Don't think you can get out of it by talking to beautiful young ladies!" Ambrose waved his cane in mock fury.
"Excuse me, ladies," Orum bowed gallantly.
Helie kissed her uncle goodbye and turned to the other woman. "Are you certain you don't have a cousin who…Noble?" The Saint looked around. "Where did she go?"