Adrian’s Pov
My stomach churned awkwardly. Thalia leaned down slightly, resting a soft hand on Raphael’s shoulder. Her voice was low and gentle, different from the sharp tone she had used on the rest of us.
"Don't be scared, Raphael. She can't touch you here. Remember what we practiced? Show them."
Raphael looked up at Thalia, his small chest heaving. He gave her a trembling nod. With shaking fingers, the small boy reached up to his high-collared shirt and began unbuttoning it. He pulled the shirt open, sliding the shirt off his shoulders, and turned his back toward the room.
The collective gasp that filled the room was instant and deafening. I froze, my jaw going slack.
Raphael’s small, frail torso was completely covered in horrific, discolored scars. Dark, thick cane marks crisscr
