Just as I was ready to turn and run back to the room I shared with my Cicero, I was carefully moved to the side as Ellery passed by me on his way down the stairs. I barely saw the look on his face before he was gone again, down and out of sight as he entered the main room of this Sanctuary, his voice echoing against the high ceiling.

"Oh, are we plotting against our Juniper now? Against Mother's wishes? You should know that it is not your place to question her choices and she herself has chosen to allow our Juniper to remain within this 'Family' of yours. Last I heard, she has forgiven Juniper for her mistakes," I heard Ellery say as he nearly shouted at the two speaking below.

Although I was thankful that he spoke up for me, I was still about to turn away when I heard a grunt of pain from below, followed by a shout and then words that turned my blood cold as I began rushing down the stairs.

"You will show respect when you are speaking to me, boy. I was a Speaker in my life and in death, I serve the Listener. You would do well to remember that you barely even qualify as an initiate in this Family. If I must show you how little you matter to me for you to learn your place, then so be it," that deep but chilling voice echoed through the chamber as I finally made it to the bottom of the stairs.

Seeing Ellery kneeling on the floor in pain, a dagger beside him covered in his blood as he held his hands to his side, I would have screamed if I'd but had the voice to. In a swift move, Amicus darted down and snagged the dagger, shoving it up into the man's ribs as he whispered harshly to the specter, "He might be barely an initiate, but he is Faith's and for what you have done, I will send you to the Void a hundred times over for every tear she sheds over this."

"Faith, what's wrong with me?" a voice gasped out, pain twisted into each word. "It hurts but... I... What am I, Faith? What is this?"

Looking at him, my eyes wide in shock, I gasped as I saw him pull his hands away from his side. It was no vivid red that covered his hands, spilled down his side... No, instead of the familiar color that had once coated his jester's cap, it was an almost shimmering ghostly blue that matched the pool of blue where Lucien had once stood.

Ellery? But... you're alive again! Everyone can see you, can touch you! I... I don't understand!

I stood there for a moment before I dropped to my knees beside him and reached out, gently pulling his motley away from his side after ripping the sleeve from my shirt and began using it to wipe at the blue... blood that coated his skin. Somehow the wound had already begun sealing shut, leaving a ragged but shallow cut down his side. Looking up into his eyes, I saw my own worry reflected back at me.

"What did he do to me, Faith? This wasn't what I agreed to, what we agreed to. What did he do to me? What has he done to us?"  Ellery's voice was barely loud enough to be heard over the sound of my own heart beating in my chest, the sound rushing through my head in waves until it was too much and I collapsed into darkness.