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Her family had decided to celebrate her birthday even though they had missed it. It had passed while she was locked up.
Jessie wasn't sure if she was thrilled with the idea, but wasn't able to say anything, given how aside from her weak apology to her parents after being safe for a week, Jessie hadn't spoken a word since her birthday.
Her birthday had been the only thing she hadn't let her uncle see when she allowed him in her mind to relay what had happened while she was trapped with her friend Priam. Priam hadn't even known.
They could all see the three scars on her cheek, and she knew they wondered, wondered how she got them, but she wouldn't give them that answer. Not until she was ready to speak herself. She needed to be the one to explain that day, and until she was ready, it would be her secret.
He had started bringing healers in the room, and while she and Priam had tried, it was clear they worked for Darnall closely, and wouldn't help them escape. They had only ever healed Priam and her enough to stay conscious, and stay alive. Never enough to truly heal.
She had woken up that morning to see that Priam had already moved away, separating from the body heat so Darnall wouldn't know and find a way to stop them from seeking any kind of warmth in their sleep. Because if Darnall had seen them sleeping together to stay warm on the damp freezing stone floor, they didn't know what he would do.
The cell door opened, and two guards walked in. One grabbing her, and one restraining Priam. Suddenly Jessie had been hauled to her feet and being moved out.
Fear filled her immediately, it wasn't her turn. Today was Priams day, she went yesterday. It wasn't her turn, why were they dragging her back to that room for the second day in a row. They had just sliced open her back, in messy deep cuts, from her right shoulder to left hip. It wasn't her day!
Priam was also fighting against the guard restraining him. "Today's MY DAY! Leave her alone!" Priam fought, insisting the guards bring him to the torture room instead of Jessie.
Someone had touched her arm, and had Jessie physically flinching away from the touch. She still wasn't doing good with touch. If she initiated it, she was fine, because she had control of it. Other than that, her family had quickly learned not to touch her without her nod of permission.
"Aidan Sol, we have told you, that you can't just touch your sister without her approval." Her father said, sounding frustrated, and at a loss of patience. The same kind that came with having to constantly repeat himself multiple times the last few weeks.
Jessie looked down towards her brother, to see his eyes, as russet as her fathers normal one, wide in guilt and fear. Fear for her, she realized, that he had hurt her.
"Jessie, I'm sorry! I forgot, I'm really sorry! It was a habit. Please Jessie, I'm sorry!" Which left Jessie feeling a bit guilty herself. It wasn't Aidans fault she feared touch now. He knew yes, but he only slipped into habit or forgot when he wasn't paying attention. He was only ten, so she couldn't blame him.
She looked at her brothers arm on the table, as he was frozen in fear and guilt. She looked at his arm, and decided to, very slowly, place her left hand on top of his arm. Slowly she looked back up to his face and offered a small smile, and nodded her forgiveness.
