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The guard gave us a curious and slightly annoyed eye as we passed by him, and I sheepishly smiled at the man. Ferox impatiently awaited our return at the road, still surrounded by wagons and burly men.
“That Phantom guy is a little strange,” I mused as I climbed into the carriage and plopped myself down in my seat. “He was really severe when it came to my, um, exaggeration, but then he goes and plays that sweet little tune.”
Ben took his place beside me and there was a mischievous smile on his lips. “Many of us have two faces.”
I gave him my own sly expression. “Or wear a mask.”
“Yes,” he mused as he looked me over and his good humor failed him a little. “Might I ask, but what did you feel when you shook his hand?”
I gave him a sheepish smile. “That obvious, huh?”
“Very.”
I furrowed my brow as I thought back to that moment, and I instinctively rubbed my wrist in my other hand. “I’m not really sure. It felt like something shocked me, but-”
“Why are you massaging that hand?”
I started back at Ben’s question and blinked at him. “What do you mean?”
He nodded down at my hands. “You’re rubbing your left hand, but you shook his hand with your right.”
I dropped my eyes to where he indicated and discovered that I was indeed rubbing my wrist just below the ribbon. “I. . .I don’t know why, but that’s the one that’s bothering me.”
Ben grasped my left hand and studied the ribbon. “The knot is as tight as before-” He paused and furrowed his brow. “Wait a moment. The bow is slightly loose.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I wondered as I leaned forward to inspect the magical item. “It’s come loose before.”
He nodded. “Yes, but this isn’t a normal unraveling.” He brushed a finger fingers over one of the knots and I noticed a loose thread stuck out from the body proper.
I’d torn his ancestress’ precious ribbon.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
My heart droppedinto my stomach as I beheld that small tear. “Oh God, Ben, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”
Ben set his hand gently over the ribbon and shook his head. “You couldn’t have known that shaking his hand would have damaged the ribbon.”
I blinked my eyes at him. “Wait, how did shaking his hand hurt the ribbon?”
“Two magics of the same caliber and type came into contact with one another,” he mused as he set my hand down on my leg. “The shock you felt was their overcharging one another, and the cloth couldn’t take such a sudden infusion of magic.”
“Then Phantom really wasn’t wearing a mask?” I mused as I brushed my fingers over the ribbon.
Ben leaned back and furrowed his brow. “So it would appear. Ferox, home.”
The horse neighed and gladly galloped through the busy street. I caught sight of an exception to the many burly men that surrounded us, and that was the stooped form of Brutus Segreti. The man with the shocking white hair stood off to one side away from the hustle and bustle with his hands clasped behind him. His stance was as stiff as a statue, and the sun shone so brightly off his glasses that I couldn’t tell if he was evening looking at us as we passed. Still, something about him made me shiver.
I returned my attention to my companion and tapped the ribbon with two fingers. “This is a special ribbon, isn’t it? I mean, it’s rare, right?”
“Very rare, and as Madam Blurt told us, it is very difficult to create. I doubt anyone alive has the knowledge and skill to craft such an item.”
“Then how did a musician get a hold of something like that?” I wondered.
He shook his head. “An excellent question, and one we’re not likely to discover without his telling us himself.”
I sighed and dropped my arm back onto my lap. “Another mystery to remain unsolved. . .”
“Another?” he wondered.
