Before Noble could take off after the creature, she heard a voice clearly behind her.
"I really could use your assistance, Teacher. I have to meet my mother this afternoon, and I wasn't expecting to have to break down two monsters."
Rain looked up at the sun and then back at the work she had yet to do. Her arms were already aching, and she hadn't even made it to the first soul shard.
"Your mother is a busy woman. She will understand if you are late due to your training."
Rain's anger flared. "If my mother is such a busy woman, I shouldn't keep her waiting! Let the Queen have these if she wants them, and I'll head back now."
Noble was touched by her filial piety. Rain refused to let the powerful Saint living in her shadow malign her family.
The mother also felt a little guilty. In her pursuit of a mystery, she had almost forgotten about her plans with her daughter.
While Noble was certain she wouldn't have missed the event, she would have been in too much of a rush to finish her work beforehand.
Unless Rain relented and decided to stay longer in the field of ash, the mystery of Matilda would have to wait for another day.
"You won't leave these spoils for the Queen to claim!" Sunny manifested from her shadow with his arms crossed. "What makes you think she would even want it?"
"Then they can be good for the next thing with sharp enough teeth to eat them. That will fatten them up for my next kill."
Rain did not budge on her stance. She tucked her hunting knife in her belt and began to pack up her gear.
Sunny gritted his teeth, but inwardly he felt a surge of pride. Like Noble, he appreciated that the girl had a will and determination of her own, even when that decision went against his own better judgment.
"Fine." Sunny relented, a blade of shadow forming in his hand. He cut away at the monster's hide. It split like butter against the onyx blade. "Never say your Teacher does nothing nice for you."
Rain smiled. "Thank you, Teacher."
She retrieved her hunting knife and got back to work. Soon, the shards were carved out and broken by the butt of Rain's knife. Once shards were harvested, Rain packed as many of the scales as she could carry to bring home.
Noble wasn't there to watch it, though. She was already racing across the plain toward Ravenheart.
'I wouldn't have found that spot on the cliff even if I tried,' the woman reasoned as she flew toward the city's wall. Nectar had taken dozens of twists, turns, and switchbacks. With more practice, Noble would be able to pay attention both to the vision and the directionality, but that was not the case today.
'It's just as well. I need to think about how I want to approach this going forward.'
Noble knew she should avoid too much speculation and stick to the facts. But she couldn't help but put a few pieces together.
'It makes sense now how that little mammal had ended up with a shard from one of Rain's kills. If it found her today while running about, then it probably has spotted her before.'
Most people knew that the Crazy Girl belonged to the daughter of the former Dreamscape champion. So that really didn't narrow down what 'friend' might have returned the shard to Noble.
'I can't forget to grab that shard before I meet Rain.' Noble made a mental note.
She left the ash plains, finding one of the many roads that led to the steep incline back to Ravenheart.
Thankfully, the roads were empty at this hour of midday. When Noble arrived at the gate, there was no line to bar her entry.
The Saint waiting there beckoned her forward with a flower in hand. Behind her, the imposing mirror leaned against the city's walls as it had before.
Noble recognized the Song Sister standing guard. They had met once before when the ambassador's wife had visited the palace on behalf of the government.
"Lady Hel. It is good to see you."
'Good to see you without blood coating your hands, that's for sure.' Noble kept the musing to herself.
Hel was beautiful, certainly, but she had an eerie way about her. Now under the woman's scrutiny, Noble struggled not to show her discomfort.
Hel squinted at the traveler, her eyes seeming to pierce into Noble's soul. Her mouth twisted into a frown.
"I know what you did."
Noble froze. Wasn't Hel a seer?
Yes, she most definitely was!
Which thing did she know that Noble had done recently?
There was the Bee Two's borrowing of government funds to upgrade her classroom. There was her trip to Bastion that no one was supposed to know about. There was also the small matter of her becoming a Saint behind the Sovereign's back.
Surely if that last one were the case, Noble would have been carted off by multiple Song Saints for questioning instead of being confronted by a lone Transcendent.
"What did I do, Lady Hel?" Noble felt sweat form on her brow.
"You know…" The Saint pressed as her eyes clouded and her gaze became far off.
Noble forced a smile. "I am afraid I do not."
Hel blinked, her eyes clearing as she cackled with a wide grin.
"Ha! You should have seen your face. You're the first person all day that hasn't cracked and admitted to every sin under the sun."
Hel's amusement continued for a moment, allowing Noble to take a couple of measured breaths.
"You are very amusing, Lady Hel."
"That's what people say when they are afraid I'll blackmail them. Don't worry, in the big scheme of things, spying on your crazy daughter isn't that bad. If it were, I'm sure my mother would have amassed a whole litany of crimes from the years of watching me!"
Noble's smile froze. So Hel had divined the purpose of Noble's outing! That wasn't a huge deal as long as she hadn't seen the man hiding in Rain's shadow. By Hel's jovial disposition and lack of questions, Noble guessed that Sunny was safe for now.
"Yes, well, mothers are always concerned for their children, no matter how old they get. Though I would prefer my daughter not discover the depth of my concern if it's all the same to you."
Noble motioned to the object in Hel's hand.
"What? Oh! You want to go through the gate before you get caught!" Hel winked. "Just a moment."
The flower was either borrowed from Seishan or was a duplicate crafted for the same purpose. Noble waited patiently as it refused to wither.
"It seems you are clean, though I could have told you that before. Still, it would have been more fun if you were a Skinwalker. I haven't had any excitement in ages!" Hel's winsome smile made Noble shiver.
What was fun about running into an abomination that could take over your very being and wear you like a suit?
Maybe the idea bothered Hel less because her mother seemed to do the same with the dead.
"I hope you find some excitement soon," Noble wasn't sure what else to say.
"Thank you!" Hel stepped aside. "It was nice talking to you, Master Noble!"
'I didn't tell her my name just now.' Noble realized in hindsight. Hel was a very curious existence, but the new Saint was just happy that for now, her Transedence was still a secret.
Heading back to the Dreamer Academy, Noble quickly finished up what she was working on, gathered her things, and headed toward her house.
It was time for tea with Rain.