Aery couldn’t believe that the man would… Oh. Of course. To hurt Fireheart he’d hurt the rest of them. Why… Why did the girl slap him…?
Aery yelped as Lugft lifted her into his lap, flushing crimson as her shirt was ripped in two. She tried to cover herself, but of course Lugft was stronger and she only managed to put herself even more prominently on display. And then his burning hand pressed across her exposed stomach and she suddenly stopped thinking much of anything.

She didn’t scream; that, at least, she managed to avoid. But white spots danced in front of her eyes as it felt like her whole upper body was on fire. She gasped for air, trying to remember how to breathe, and then suddenly the excruciating burning was gone. But not so the stinging, and even the cool wind that her sister-wife channeled in her direction only intensified that agony. She didn’t even notice that Lugft had set her back down in her corner until she realized that she could lean back against the wall and cry. The burn was too tender to touch, or even to pull her dress back over. Carefully she studied it, wincing at how big it was (Covering from the bottom of her ribcage to the start of her skirt and spanning her entire waist) and how deep and painful the ugly wound was. Certainly anyone who might try to take her from Lugft would see the brand and would know who she belonged to.

Aery couldn’t hear what the man was saying, though surely his comments were directed at her. She was too numb from the pain to care, even when he picked her up and slid his hands uncomfortably close between her legs. Tears streamed down her face even as she heard Lugft’s final comment to her, “I’ll teach you… I’ll even let Tirza help.” She felt a knot of dread form in her aching stomach, and then something changed hands and she quite abruptly fainted, while still lying in Lugft’s arms.