“You?” Emira barked a laugh. “You think you can defeat the Lord of the Mountain?”

“With help? Yes, I think I can.”

Noble’s confidence surprised the Queen. The younger woman nodded thoughtfully as she continued.

“The Tyrant has been known to drop large black feathers when he retreats. Since there are no feathers on his stomach, I believe those feathers belong to a weak spot on the Tyrant’s back that we can breach.”

Noble had seen one such feather which Emira had worn as a trophy, and she had read of similar experiences from others in her research.

It was safe to assume the feathers were protecting something important.

With a deep breath, Noble hurried along her train of thought.

“The Lord of the Mountain’s main advantage is that it can fly. And that is what we will use against him.”

“I don’t follow.” Emira had only ever fought the creature in a singular way: scaring off the Tyrant by using the sun.

“When you fly you can attack from all sides and planes, but you can also be attacked from every angle. There is one place that the Lord of the Mountain will never look for us to attack. Up.” Noble’s smile widened.

Emira tilted her head, studying her niece carefully. “And you think you can get up? How?”

“There is something you don’t know about me.” Noble took a deep breath.

‘This is it.’

“What you don’t realize is: I can float.” Noble let her eyes swirl slightly as she allowed the distance between herself and the ground to lengthen. Her dress fluttered as she lifted higher and higher into the air.

The decision to reveal her power was risky, but Noble had found no other way. These were not real people. When the Nightmare ended, her secret would be hers once again.

Soon Noble was floating like a specter in the throne room.

Emira’s eyes went wide. “You discovered your Aspect at last! Counsel must be both thrilled and jealous.”

The floating Awakened lowered herself to the ground.

“Counsel doesn’t know yet. I was hoping to tell you together.” Noble would have to tell him after they were through.

“Interesting.” Emira pressed her lips together. “So you plan to have everyone fighting from the ground as a misdirect while you use your new Ability attack from above.”

“Pretty much. As long as we are careful in luring the Tyrant to us, the loss of life should be minimal. I have written down some of the finer points that I am sure General Theo would be able to help smooth out.” Noble produced a set of papers.

When Emira held out her hand, the younger woman passed over the stack for the Monarch to peruse.

“These plans make it sound like we will be lying in wait indefinitely until the Lord of the Mountain comes. As he was in the last assault and we chased him away, the Tyrant is unlikely to return any time soon. Possibly months or even years from now.” Emira handed back the papers

Noble took the plans in her hand with a nod. “You are right. Which is why we must lure him.”

The Queen sat up a little straighter. “Lure? And what will you use as bait?”

“The Lord told Counsel he is after the heart. I believe it is somewhere under the palace, and I think you know where it is. If we bring it to the surface and outside the barrier, then the Lord is sure to try and claim it. We will decide the place and time that the battle will take place. With careful preparation, the Tyrant doesn’t stand a chance.”

Noble had laid her plan bare. All the work of the past months was for this moment.

The help of the army and a queen who could use fire like no one had ever seen was a key to her ultimate success.

“It is a good plan.” Emira tapped her fingers on the armrest. “It is well thought out and better than anything that has been proposed before.”

Looking at the Queen, Noble took a deep breath. “So…is that a yes?”

“No.” Emira tilted up her chin defiantly.

“No?” Noble could not have been more shocked if the Queen had struck her. “Bu-but you just said…” Noble was cut off by Emira’s withering gaze.

“Ah, so you do listen when I speak! Then tell me what the two conditions for making this proposal were.”

Despite the rising temperature, Noble felt her blood run cold.

Emira clicked her tongue. “No answer? Then allow me to refresh your memory. You were not to leave the palace and to stay out of my private library. Did you meet those requirements?”

“I did not think the garden or the underground arena counted as breaking that rule,” Noble hedged.

“Don’t play games with me, Brenna.” Emira’s eyes lit with flames. “You left the palace in the night and took one of my library’s books.”

“To be fair, the book wasn’t in your library when I found it…” Noble tried to explain.

“Enough!” Emira banged her fist. “Do you think I am a fool? Be honest. This was never about battling the Tyrant. You are after the Heart.”

“How can you say that? You have seen my plans. If that is your only objection, you can keep the Heart in your possession at all times. I promise…” Noble was sweating. The heat was becoming beyond what she could bear.

“Ha! What good is your word? I cannot trust you! I never could.” Emira was filled with hateful resentment.

Noble clung to consciousness. She covertly summoned her fire charm to help her with the heat.

Noble held her head trying to keep her mind clear. “Will you at least let Counsel, me, and whomever else wishes to go leave peacefully to face the Tyrant? If we cannot have the Heart, then we will have to go to meet the Lord instead.”

“You may not go. In fact, anyone who leaves to head toward the mountains will be killed on sight. I would be doing them a favor. Only death waits for them among the ash and snow. I would make that end mercifully quick.” The Queen nodded as if this were some great concession.

Noble’s eyes pooled with tears as the realization washed over her. Not only was the queen refusing to help her, but she was refusing to let Noble carry out her plan on her own.

“You were never going to agree to my plan, were you?”

“I only ever agreed to listen, and I have done that despite your disrespect.” Emira pursed her lips before flicking her wrist. “We are done here. We both have a ceremony to attend. You can resume your childish escapes into the countryside after it is over but do not think about leaving before then. No matter how good your Aspect is, I will find you.”

“Why do you even want me there? What was so important that you held me here for weeks on end?” Noble’s voice cracked as she screamed her frustration.

“Your tutors have failed you, niece. Or you would know at least one member of the royal household must be there to affirm my reign for the next fifty years. That is why I had Alyx write the speech for you. Did you think it was just a formality when you did it fifty years ago?.” Emira rolled her eyes upward.

“So I am just a pawn? A means to your end…” Noble tried to control her feelings. This Nightmare might not be real, but her feelings toward these people certainly were. She had grown somewhat fond of the Queen, only to find those sentiments were not returned.

Emira looked coldly at the woman before her. “You are the last of my family. You will be there this afternoon to confirm me and then you can do whatever you like for the next fifty years far away from my sight. Your future no longer concerns me beyond this afternoon. So, if I cannot keep you here through loyalty, then I will keep you here with threats. Be at the confirmation or…”

“No need to threaten me, Your Majesty. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

No matter how angry Noble was, she would still attend the ceremony. Throwing a fit and refusing to attend like a petulant child would only reinforce the Queen’s view of her.

Noble turned her back without a curtsy. “I will see you in the Great Hall.”

Her mind was in disarray. After today, Emira had effectively banished Noble from the palace for another half-century.

‘Another fifty years? I cannot wait that long!’

All of Noble’s hopes and dreams came crashing down around her. Her cheeks burned with shame as she called Kosi to her side and floated from the room.

‘Sure, I broke her rules, but for her to suggest I am solely after the heart is ridiculous! She was looking for any reason to deny me, and I laid two right in her lap. I’m an idiot!’

Noble stormed out of the throne room, scaring the guard on the outside of the door with the force of her exit.

Counsel was at her side almost instantly. “How did it go?”

Hot tears stung Noble’s eyes. Images of Fort and her children living the rest of their lives without her flashed before her eyes. ‘No!’

Her nostrils flared. “You were right,” she muttered as they rounded the corner. “Her Majesty never intended to agree to my plan.”

“I am sorry.” Counsel touched her arm gently before dropping it to his side. “What will you do now?”

Noble furrowed her brow. Her lips pressed into a firm line and she moved swiftly through the halls. Her spirit filled with grim resolve. “What am I going to do? What I should have done as soon as you suggested it…”

‘Rebel.’

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