Blackfeather Woods only a madman likes the pain

Noticing her frown, he tacked on, "Cicero thinks it was an excuse to grip for power from Nemesis, too." Figuring that that was what Kendra was thinking about. He specifically did not trust Nemesis farther than he could throw her — which, especially in her current state, wasn't very far — which in part came from his protectiveness over Damien, in a way. He'd never felt physically protective of Damien, but he felt that she had set up Damien to be the scapegoat, that she thought him a puppet she could easily control.

He smiled as she said that she wanted to learn. Cicero was not so sure it was good things he was going to teach her, but he did not care much. He knew a lot — for a big part from experiencing the pain he had administered to himself — and he could teach her how to give it to others.

Then the philosopher rose from his position. The wound along his chest stung as he came into motion and he squinted his mismatched eyes briefly. Then he nosed along the side of Kendra's forehead and he promised: "Cicero will be there for Kendra." He waited to see if she had anything more she wished to say to him, or if she wished for him to stay. His stance indicated he intended to depart soon, unless she willed it otherwise.