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‘Get her up, then,’ says Dane, shaking his head as he packs the rest of his bag,
but then looks thoughtful. ‘It might serve to put her in the right frame of mind.’
I don't reply as I walk over to the bed and sit next to her. She turns into me, curling her body towards mine. I stroke her cheek and move her hair away from her face.
‘Lia,’ I say softly.
Her eyes flutter and open to look at me, a small smile on her lips as she takes me in before she begins to wake up properly, and it turns into a frown.
‘You did it again,’ she accuses, and I shrug, looking just a bit contrite for her benefit.
‘You weren't going to sleep,’ I say, ‘and you needed to rest … especially for today.’
I see the moment she remembers what the day is and the color leeches from her face.
‘Get out of bed,’ I say quietly.
She does what I say and goes behind the screen. I hear her performing her morning ablutions, and she comes back a few moments later to stand in front of me.
I turn her around so that her back is to me and quickly braid her hair, mimicking Reyn’s slave girl’s.
I rest my hands on her shoulders when she tries to turn back.
‘Lean over the table,’ I say.
She looks over her shoulder at me, eyes wide.
‘Now?’ she asks. ‘Isn't it a bit late to practice?’
She’s trying to make light of it, but I frown at her body's shiver.
‘Put the dress on first,’ I say.
She looks a bit puzzled, but she dons the dress that Dane bought for her.
I hate the sight of the slave garb on my Harbinger, but I plaster a look of encouragement on my face.
‘You look … the part.’
She nods shakily, and I point to the table. She slowly bends over it, and I give Grey the go-ahead.
He goes behind her and stands in exactly the same way as we watched Reyn do with Gwennie when he was here.
‘This isn't going to be a release,’ he says quietly, his large hand coming to rest in the middle of her back, keeping her in place.
She tenses. ‘What, then?’
‘You arse needs to look like the other one’s.’
‘We can't be seen to have not disciplined you,’ Dane adds. ‘Reyn told us that you were well enough for it a week ago and, according to the book, it’s just as important. They’ll look for evidence of it.’
‘I'll give you ten,’ Grey says. ‘Raise your skirts, Lia.’
Her hands begin to pull the material up. ‘What will you use?’ she asks in a small voice.
Grey gives me a hard look. ‘My hand only,’ he says gently.
Her eyes are closed, but she nods.
