Page 14 of Regal Rising

“They did.”

“Why?”

“They wanted to be mean. There were more of them than there were of me, so they won for a while, and then I got away. Pandora found me.”

“Oh, she’s good at that. She found me when I had my leg cramping in the pond, and she picked me up before Mom could even react. That was when I met her.”

The little girl stuck out her hand. “I am Ira.”

“I am Ela.” Ela shook hands with the little girl.

“Are you staying?”

“Pandora is letting me get some rest and giving me some clothing, but I think your mother does not want me to stay near you. She does not trust strangers, and rightly so.”

“You aren’t a stranger.”

“I am. You know better than to take kind words from strangers. Until your mother can confirm what I told her, you should not be alone with me.”

“Fine. Auntie, are you done with her?”

Rex sighed. “Ela, do you have any other parts that need bandaging?”

Ela looked at the little girl. “Yes, but she should not be here for this.”

Ira frowned. “I can do first aid.”

“Not this much. Please, Ira. Go to your mother and meet the other ladies.”

Ira scowled. “No.”

Rex said softly, “Ira. You might be an old soul, but you are still eleven. If she doesn’t want to show you, it is an adult thing, so leave her some privacy.”

Ira sighed, nodded, and left them.

Ela set her feet on the floor, pivoted, and unbuttoned her shirt. Rex gasped in shock.

“Rex, if you have some cream to spread on the scars that opened, I can reach forward and do my chest.”

“You... you’re covered with scars.”

“It was years, and I did not cooperate. For some of the clients, the pain was what got them off. That was why they had to shave my head. The hair got in the way of the whip.”

“Fucking hell.”

“Yeah, that does sum it up.” Ela sat while Rex went over her opened scars and then took the tube from her to get the ones on her lower abdomen. It looked like her skin was suffering from frost. Scars bloomed into other scars and crept into the loose trousers.

“How far down do they go?”

“To the knees, but the skin is thicker past my hips.”

“Win can probably heal you. She’s familiar with this sort of extensive scarring.”

“There is another?”

“A few others. None with your identical circumstance, but yes.” Rex sighed. “How can they do this and think it’s okay?”

“I am the wrong person to ask.” She handed Rex the tube back and put her shirt back on.

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