The Noble Queen-A Shadow Slave Fanfic

"Yes, Director Luna. I'm sure. If you'll just wait a moment..." Jet stopped speaking into the communicator and held onto the brim of her hat as the wind from the airship's engines threatened to blow it away. 

When the ship came to a stop on the ground, the ghostly Saint boarded before anyone could exit. 

"Here they are." Jet handed the device to Lonzo. 

The scruffy man smiled at the screen. "Hello, Sweetheart." 

Luna's loud, sudden sob was followed by a barrage of questions. "How are you? Are you hurt? What happened? Can I see Teran?" 

"I'm right here, Mom. I'm fine! You'll never guess what happened. Harry was a fake and then she got turned into a monster!" Teran took the device and animatedly began describing his adventure. 

"I guess he isn't too broken up about losing his bodyguard." Lonzo rubbed his temple. "I'm glad he had his eyes closed for most of what happened down there." 

Noble, who was standing beside him, nodded. "Me too." The images would haunt her forever, but at least it was over. "Teran's a good kid. I wish him all the best." 

The professor paused, as an idea came into her head. 

"When you get settled in a new home, I have someone I might like you to meet. She's a new Awakened with control over diseases. I am not sure if Teddy can help you, but I know she would be happy to try." 

A small flicker of hope lit in Lonzo's chest. "We have always been willing to explore any option." 

The floating Master didn't get a chance to respond before Teran shoved the communicator in her face. "Mom wants to talk to you before you go." 

Luna's complexion was splotchy from crying what were now happy tears. "I knew you were the right person for the job. Thank you, for everything, Master Noble. I've already taken care of the..."

Noble held up her hand. "We can talk about that later. Right now, enjoy speaking with your family. I hope to be with mine again very soon as well." 

With a soft smile, the professor passed the communicator to Lonzo. Turning away, she came face to face with Jet. The dark-haired woman had dropped off the Mayor in the Dream Realm and had immediately returned to the Eastern Quadrant to finish what she started.

Unfortunately for her, the only thing Jet could do was wait. The Saint hated waiting. 

"Welcome back." Jet nodded at Noble before frowning. "Are you hurt?" 

The duelist winced. "My leg is pretty beat up. I think it is broken in a few places." 

"How are you walking–" Jet realized the answer to her own question and clicked her tongue. "Nevermind. Let me get you to a doctor." 

Jet looped Noble's arm over her shoulder. While the action was unnecessary, the thought was appreciated.

Soul Reaper may have been feared by most, but there was kindness in the pale Saint that touched Noble deeply.

"Where are the boys?" Jet kept her eyes forward as they descended from the airship.

"Coy is safe in the Dream Realm, and Chip is MIA…probably KIA." Noble hadn't seen Chip's body, so she gave the most accurate report that she could.

"I see. I am sorry to hear that. Despite our differences, I like Chip." Jet sighed. After a moment of silence, she continued. "The kid mentioned his bodyguard—Harry?"

Noble barked an ironic laugh. "Harry's real identity is Awakened Harlow. The woman gave a false name to get the job."

Jet's expression darkened as she cursed. "Where is she?"

"Dead," Noble answered. "She ignored my warning and went out on her own. The Skinwalker took her."

The Saint's murderous thoughts receded. "Good riddance. It saves me from having to do it with my own two hands."

Oddly enough, Noble found the threat comforting. Harlow's death was in part Noble's fault.

The professor could have forced the older woman to stay, but she had let her leave.

More than that, she had wished harm to come to Harlow, even contemplating exacting justice herself.

Did Noble's attribute have a sinister side that attracted harm to people whom she hated?

'I doubt it…'

Still, her removal of physical and magical protection had made Harlow a prime target for the greedy monster.

It had felt like a catastrophic error when Harlow returned as a Skinwalker. 

Noble had allowed the enemy to infiltrate their group and cut off their exit!

But now with the clarity of hindsight, the duelist realized that the Skinwalker would have tried to take over one of them either way. Harlow had saved the rest of them from getting ambushed in the stairwell.

Her last act had been unintentionally self-sacrificial.

"Valor will laud her as a hero." Noble sighed.

"Let the glory hogs say whatever they like, those who matter will know the truth." Jet paused. "If it bothers you, I can do my best to expose her for what she was."

"No, it's fine. All that matters is my father's killer is dead and will never hurt anyone again." Noble nodded slowly.

She thought of her mother. Lena would be able to rest easier knowing the matter had been put to rest.

Jet tilted her chin, concerned. "Are you alright?"

"You mean other than my leg?" Noble forced a smile. "No."

Noble was a hurricane of conflicting emotions. Beyond Harlow, the loss of Chip and the rescue of three innocent people wrestled for control of her feelings.

Happiness, grief, relief, outrage…all of them melded and mixed in an indiscernible pattern. Noble thought of the burly Master whom she had left behind.

He had been so impulsive!

Chip's choice to stay and detonate the Memory had cost him dearly, but it had also helped them find an exit.

Would they have found another way without his sacrifice? If not for him, she and the others might be vessels now.

'I'll never know.'

The thought was haunting.

It was something only time would heal. Until then, her struggle would continue.

"I can't fix what is running through your head unless you want me to contact someone about erasing your memory," Jet watched the other woman's eyes swirl.

"While I would like to forget many things, it is better that I don't." The woman responded, unsure if the Saint was even serious. "But maybe you can distract me?"

"I'm not good at jokes—" Jet began.

"No, not that." Noble paused, wondering what jokes from the woman might sound like before returning to her original questions. "Harlow said she killed my father because he stopped Valor's assassination of an orphan. I think the child was a legacy. Would you know anything about that? This would have been around twenty years ago."

Jet's fractured emotions spiked.

"I wasn't around then," she began, "and anything I might know about her is not something I can discuss."

"Her?" Noble tilted her head, causing Jet's emotions to become even more unsteady.

"Or him," the Saint added quickly.

The professor sighed. "I don't want to know much. I just want to know whether the person lived to adulthood."

"If it is who I believe, then yes." Jet smiled.

Noble smiled too.

Her father's attempt to save the girl had worked. By now, she would be a young woman.

"I hope she lives a long and happy life."

Jet coughed. "You wanted a distraction?" She led the Master to one of the temporary buildings with a medical marking on the front. "Let's get that leg of yours fixed up so it can start healing."

A few moments later Noble was very distracted indeed.

She left the clinic with a new brace and an appreciation for modern-day medication.

Finally, it was time to head home.