190 Branding Iron

Thalia's whimpers filled the cell as Lauren continued to carve a line through her chest, blood was oozing out of the wound. Lauren's face held no remorse as she watched Thalia suffer from agonizing pain. From the moment she lost her young self's innocence, she had been dreaming of making Thalia writhe in pain like this, both physically and emotionally. She was only doing the former, but she knew the latter wouldn't take long to follow. She owed this one to her stepmother, and it was an honor to serve her what she deserved.

"I change my mind. I'll just give you twice the size of my mother's scar, so I'd stop here." Lauren pulled back her hairpin and smiled at the momentary relief she saw in Thalia's unsettled eyes. The edge of the hairpin was coated with blood now, and so was the upper part of Thalia's white nightgown. The striking dark red stains were in stark contrast against the white fabric.