When Syrce returned without her sister, she was visibly shaken. Her emotions were reflected in the storm of her beautiful grey eyes.
Maelys's people slowly filtered out of the courtyard, their strange emotional presence disappearing as soon as they were no longer in view. Even Drusus left with them, silently choosing a side that wasn't hers.
Noble listened to Syrce's soldiers' hushed words around her.
"Quintos has been acting funny ever since he returned."
"I know. The lieutenant used to have a bit of a limp, but now he is strutting around like he owns the place."
"Not anymore. Lady Syrce put him in his place."
"You want to talk about strange? I tried to talk to my old friend Solin today. She was very kind but distant. It was like she didn't even remember all the years we spent together as children."
"I don't know any of the newcomers. I am from the outlands and never left my town until the war. All of those who survived seemed to be from around Mirage's city. I wonder if she put some protection spell on them before she died..."
As Noble heard these words, the hair on her arms began to stand on end. "Something is really wrong."
This was more than just an overreaction after a long absence. If Syrce's soldiers could feel a change among the newcomers, then something was definitely going on.
Noble's mind raced.
"The Advisor will not meet you," Syrce said quietly, pulling Noble from her thoughts.
"What?"
The commander shook her head. "He will not come and see you. I tried."
"You spoke to him? When?" Noble furrowed her brow.
"A moment ago, when I talked to Mae." Syrce's voice was on the verge of breaking.
Frantically, Noble ran through all the emotional signatures that had been in the area. None of them stood out, and as far as she knew, none of them had gotten close enough to speak privately to the two ladies.
How had she missed him?
Noble glanced at her cohort members, but they were as astonished as she was.
"Mae made an ultimatum." Syrce continued.
"She is making you choose between us, isn't she?" Child of Promise could see the writing on the wall.
Syrce took a deep breath. "As much as she tries to hide it, I know that she does not like that you blamed her for that attack."
"The men who attacked me blamed her," Noble pointed out.
'And I'm sure she did it,' she added silently.
Speaking that truth would not help just now.
"What a mess!" Syrce's normally effervescent smile was missing from her face. The frown that replaced it was worse than any sob that could have escaped her lips.
"What will you do?" Noble wasn't sure that she wanted to know the answer.
"What else? The right thing," Syrce rested her chin in her palm. "Though what that is…I have no idea."
It was only now that the Saint realized that she was being watched not only by Noble but by most of her troops as well.
Normally, the commander cared nothing about having an audience, but this time was different.
"I need to be alone. Excuse me."
Watching Syrce flee, Noble blew out her cheeks.
"That could have gone worse," Flint pointed out around a mouthful of food.
"What?" Noble wasn't sure she understood.
"I think Flint means she didn't immediately pick Mae." Aether offered.
The surly Master nodded.
"I suppose." Noble couldn't deny that her inaction said a lot about her regard for Noble. While she hated to come between the sisters, it was comforting to know she wasn't immediately cast aside.
"What do you want to do?" Helie asked Noble.
"I will defer to Roan, but my advice is we finish eating as calmly as possible and then talk."
Roan nodded. "Bel is right. Enjoy your food."
His unspoken message was clear. It might be the last meal they had among the soldiers.
Unfortunately, that realization caused none of them to have an appetite. They forced down what little nutrition they could, then retired from the courtyard.
"Is anyone near?" Roan scanned the area visually as he spoke.
"I don't feel anyone, but we all know what good that is in our current situation." Noble rubbed her forehead.
"Just like always, I will handle it." Flint summoned his spoon and held it in the air. He waited a moment. "It's clear."
Roan activated a Memory to provide some privacy while Flint tucked the spoon in his belt.
Aether waited patiently until the barrier was in place. "Now that we are alone. What's our plan?"
Roan pulled at his beard. "The way I see it, we have three options. First, we could stay and hope that Syrce takes our side and either goes against or convinces Lady Mae. Secondly, we all leave before the commander decides. We can head to the seaside or meet this Shieldbearer Orrin and try to regroup."
"I don't like either of those choices," Flint grumbled. "I hope your third one is better. What is it?"
"I believe the third choice would be for me to leave without you, either to go plead with Lady Lyra or to hide out until the conclusion of this Nightmare." Noble nodded.
Roan looked away. "It is the choice I like the least."
"Aren't you both being dramatic? So what if Mae wants to throw a tantrum? She will have to get over it. If she doesn't, then we stand our ground. We know the crux of the Nightmare is here. All roads point to it. If we leave, we will only prolong our time in this world. I'm not too keen on seeing it be fully devoured by the gates, are you?" Flint rolled his eyes.
"Could this be part of the conflict?" Aether leaned against a wall as he thought.
"I mean, of course it is. We are living through it." The surly Master shot back.
"Forgive me, I did not make myself clear. I mean, in the original timeline, the person Bel replaced would have been with Lady Syrce when Lady Mae returned." Aether rubbed his cheek.
"Assuming they were successful when completing the mirror before, you think the confrontation between Mae and Syrce's new friend was inevitable?" Helie filled in the missing pieces as she followed his logic.
"Are you saying that no matter what, I was doomed to drive a wedge between these ladies?" Noble furrowed her brow.
"It's a distinct possibility." Aether shrugged.
"Should have known Bel would cause a civil war," Flint clicked his tongue.
"I did not!" Noble shut her eyes tightly. "Or at least I didn't mean to again."
"Again?!" Helie took a step back. "Do you make a habit of causing political instability?"
"More like it finds me," Child of Promise sighed. "Let's just say that my last Nightmare involved an insane psychopath who wanted a ruler he could control."
"That makes sense. You are far too nice to crazy people. I should know." Flint tilted his head.
Noble wasn't sure whether the man was insulting himself, the rest of the group, or Syrce and her men, and she decided it was better that way. Ignorance was bliss sometimes.
However, she could not remain ignorant of the importance of how they moved forward. Things had shifted, and before the full moon rose for the third and final time, they needed to make a decision.
"What shall we do?" Noble asked her cohort leader.
Yet it was Flint who answered.
"The answer is obvious. In the words of a legendary Dreamscape competitor, there is only one thing to do."
Noble frowned.
"What's that?"
"Stand and fight."