Bound By Madness

72. Steals Everything

Where did you learn how to use voice magic, my Bastian? I never heard you use it before. Have you been hiding it from me?

I looked over at him as his eyes roamed over my arms, taking in the change in the stitches from the last time he saw them so many weeks ago. Waving a hand at him, I got his attention and tried again.

Bastian, my brother, where did you learn how to use the voice magic some of the Dead Things used? How long have you known how to use it? Did you not want me to know you could use it?

"Oh... That. I'm not sure why I can use it other than it being in my blood. I don't really- wait... In my blood. Do you think that means you could? Juniper, have you seen any strange glowing words on any of the word walls we have come across? Like the one back at the Sanctuary? Krii, did you ever see Krii on the wall?" He'd started out looking upset but soon it had turned into excitement.

Or rather, he'd looked excited until he saw me shake my head slowly.

If you mean the wall with all the strange writing on it, no. All I saw was a bunch of shifting words that just made my eyes feel funny after a while. Why, should I have seen something different? Do... do you think I could learn how to use that voice magic?

I looked at him with wide eyes as I continued to wash the blood off my arms, the ragged shirt I wore soaked from the river that was rushing past us where we sat on the riverbank.

"I'm not sure. That's really strange. You said the words shifted around? Did any of the words glow? Did you hear any chanting voices or anything? Even a whisper of a voice? Anything?" He furrowed his brow as he began tapping a finger against his thigh, watching for my answer.

No, none of them glowed. Do they glow for you? Really? And chanting? What kind of chanting? I haven't heard any chanting. I-

"I saw a glow, but could not see the words. I do not know if Ellery noticed anything. He didn't say anything, just as I didn't. I.. wasn't sure if it was Lord Sheogorath at the time. Perhaps we should ask Ellery when we return home once we are done here," Amicus whispered softly, his fingers brushing through my wet hair carefully as he worked the tangles out. "Maybe this is one of those things the Jester Assassin spoke of."

Those things? What things? I don't understand, Amicus.

"Like the Door was, remember? Cicero said it was an all or nothing thing, so maybe it needs all of y-... all of us together to work right," he paused his fingers for a moment before he began running his fingers through one more time in my hair, finally pulling back and moving away. "I'm not sure since I've never seen anything like this before. I don't think there has been anything quite like us before, Faith, so all I can do is make guesses like Cicero did. I could be wrong, but it would be worth trying, right? To have voice magic like that would be an advantage in battle. It could keep you from getting hurt again. It could keep you alive."

I understand, Amicus. I'll... I'll try. Let me finish here and we can go.

I hurriedly washed away the last of the blood, leaving only recently healed tender skin behind and a single once green leaf stained red along the edges.

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I stared at Babette as she repeated her words one more time, my mind refusing to accept what she was saying. Shaking my head, I put a hand against the wall as my legs began trembling. No.

No, no, no, this can't be real. It's just a bad dream. The Fallen Leader was under watch, so how could she have escaped? How could she have caused this kind of a mess and gotten away afterward? And her husband, why? Why would he attack... my Cicero? How did this happen? Babette, why would my Cicero have... Where did he go? Where is my Cicero?!

"Arnbjorn chased after him after the Keeper attacked Astrid. Nobody knows where they ran off to, though. Maybe the Keeper hoped to get away, to find someplace he considered safe until Arnbjorn calmed down or gave up. I couldn't tell you. Most of us are more worried about where Astrid has gotten off to, since she is the bigger danger to us if she decides to betray us. There is no such worry with the Keeper, although we do worry about his safety. I'm sorry, though, as we need to focus our attention on the bigger picture, especially with the Emperor contract coming to its final stage soon," the Not Child said, her lips curled down at the edges in a subdued frown, her dislike of the situation obvious if I had bothered to look that closely.

No, no, Cicero needs to be safe! I need to go! I need to find him! Where, where would he consider safe? I need to think!

Hurrying past the Not Child, I rushed to our room, glancing around quickly before an unfamiliar book caught my eye.

Oh... Oh, Cicero... Is that your journal? You didn't even get to put it away before whatever this was had happened. Sweet Cicero, don't worry. I'll keep them safe for you.

Dumping out my pack onto the bed, I carefully picked up the journal and wrapped it inside a piece of black velvet left from the last cap I had made for Ellery. Looking around, I spotted a few more books scattered across the room, wrapping them in similar scraps of fabric, whatever pieces were big enough to hold a book. Finally, I had a small stack of thin journals, each wrapped separately, before wrapping them all within a larger piece of fabric and slipping them into my empty pack.

I felt like the world had tilted itself again, similar to how it had so many months ago. Although the Sanctuary was Home, it no longer felt like a home without my Cicero here to greet me. No, I would have to find him to find home again.

I should tell Mother goodbye before I leave. I don't know when I will find my Cicero or how long I will be gone before I can return with him. I will return with him, won't I Amicus? He'll be okay, right?

Going to the shelves, I grabbed some of the potions that sat there and moved them into my pouch to replace the ones I had used. Shifting further down the wall, I stopped as I saw the worn binding of Sweet Mother leaning against the wood at the end of a shelf, a piece of faded parchment poking out of the pages. Reaching out with trembling fingers, I pulled the book from the shelf and went back to the bed, grabbing my pillow and pulling the case off before wrapping the fabric around the book before it, too, ended up within my pack.

Hefting the pack up, I pulled it on and left the room, closing and locking the door behind me. It wouldn't do to let the Family have that easy of access to the room while we were gone. No, not at all. I had to at least try and keep Cicero's things protected while he was away.

Come Amicus, let us say our goodbyes to Mother. Maybe she will be kind enough to bless us on our journey since we are going to find her missing Keeper, our dear Cicero!

Feeling a soft touch on my shoulder, I reached up to grasp his hand with trembling fingers.

Amicus... I'm scared. What if I can't find him in time?