Such Devoted Sisters

*Blanca*

“And if you leave this room without my permission one more time,” Mother says as she stands next to her henchman, Ardesia, “you can rest assured I will break your legs so that you cannot leave again.”

The lash hits my upper thighs, my back, my bottom as I stare at the wall above my bed, trying not to cry. The last thing I need is to break down and let her know how badly she’s hurting me.

It’s not the lash so much, although it does sting. But this isn’t the same kind of whip they use in the dungeon–the kind they use on Mr. Blake. This one is leather, but it doesn’t have anything like bits of glass or metal on the end. Nevertheless, after twenty-five lashes, it breaks my skin. I know I’ll have welts and scrapes for the next several weeks.

I keep my eyes focused on the wall as it continues, my arms folded over my breasts. She allows me to wear my bra and underwear while I’m being whipped, but if my arm wasn’t over my breast right now, she’d see the place where Kieran marked me.