“Bring her to me,” Adreona panted.
The guards pushed me roughly toward her, causing me to stumble, my knees hitting the hard concrete floor.
The guard pulled me up by my hair until I was face-to-face with Adreona.
She slapped me, catching me off guard as her eyes burned with rage. “You’ll pay for that you little bitch.”
“I expect nothing less.” I held my chin high. I knew punishment was imminent, but it was worth it. The pain would be worth watching her struggle for breath for those few short moments.
“How are those gashes on your back healing? Hmm? Are they still a bit tender?”
I bit my lip to stifle my scream as Elon rubbed a hand across my back, pushing the fabric of my leathers into my wounds.
Adreona chuckled. “Perfect.”
“Keep her on her knees,” she demanded.
Elon’s hands were heavy on my shoulders as he forced me to stay on my knees, his hands staying on my shoulders to ensure I wouldn’t move. If I wanted to, I could move out of his hold easily, but I remained.
For now.
I focused on my breathing as they muttered around me. I breathed deeply through my nose as the cool press of the blade traveled down my spine, cutting my leathers open, and exposing my hardly healed back.
The only warning was the sound of the whip slicing through the air before it lashed across my back. I winced, biting the inside of my cheek against the pain.
I knew I’d only be able to hold back for so long, but I’d give them as few of my screams as possible.
By the third strike, I could feel the blood rushing down my back, my wounds already reopened.
By the fifth lashing, I couldn’t stop the scream from tearing from my lips.
Adreona only laughed as she struck again and again.
I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face as white spots clouded the edge of my vision.
Soon. I’d pass out soon and this would all be over.
But the next strike never came. Adreona’s boots clacked on the floor. “Look at me,” she demanded.
I opened my eyes, my vision hazy as I met her gaze.
“I want you to remember this the next time you think you can pull one on me. You will never win, Lennox Adair. I want you to remember every single lashing.”
So there I sat. My hands bound and my knees pressed into the concrete, now stained with my blood, until the pain subsided enough for me to breathe normally. It was only then Adreona once again rose from her desk, whip in hand, and started again.
She’d bring me to the brink, two more lashings and I knew I’d pass out—only for her to stop once again. Returning to her desk until I had recovered enough and she could start again.
I lost track of how long I sat there.
Of how many lashings I took.
Until finally,finally, she whipped me until the darkness took over.
The next days passed in a blur.
I lay on my stomach on the bed in my room, unable to move for fear of causing even more pain to my back.
Healers came in periodically, healing me enough each time so I wouldn’t die or get an infection but remained in pain.
