Allene's POV
The ground was cold and the pebbles dug into my skin without remorse.
That was the first thing I felt when my mind came back to me. Cold stone pressed against my back, my arms, my legs. I was sprawled across it like I had been dropped there and forgotten. My skin prickled everywhere, not just from the cold but from the weight of too many eyes.
I kept my arms around myself trying to shield my nakedness.
Panic rushed through me, sharp and choking. My body felt weak and heavy from the beating I had just received and tears stung my eyes threatening to escape and show My weakness to everyone present. My fingers trembled as I dragged them over my skin, uselessly trying to hide myself from the stares around me.
The voices came next. Low murmurs. Uneasy shuffling. No one spoke c
