I step into the glen just in time to see the first stroke land on my brother's bareback, the barbs drawing blood to the surface of his skin immediately. He doesn't scream but I can hear Moira shouting and cursing as guards hold her in place against her will. There is another scream that shatters through the sheltered glen as the whip is drawn back over Lazarus's board shoulder. The girl, definitely younger than I am with her pink plump lips and insanely long black hair, shoots from her spot beside Callan who narrowly misses stopping her. He too is on his feet chasing after the slim girl as she makes a direct run for Alaric. Lazarus is so focused on inflicting pain on Alaric that he fails to notice the girl appearing around the whipping post and shielding Alaric's bleeding back by wrapping
