Standing up only made Sabine shiver further. Goosebumps covered her body. She could no longer conserve the small warmth afforded by holding her legs to her torso.

Her shaking breaths quickened as Arinette approached. Especially as the stake and hammer lifted to her hands. It was clear what came next. Sabine was hyperventilating by the time the point touched her palm. The first hammer blow did not cause her to make a sound. Her rising and falling chest stopped as her eyes widened in shock. The next few strikes breached her hands. She threw her head back against the tree and scrunched her eyes shut as whimpers turned into pained shouts and screams. More tears streaked back from the corners of her eyes. A seemingly burning heat ran down her arms, though the brief relief from the cold was not enough to turn the sight of her own blood running down her pale skin.

"Stop! STOP! PLEASE!" Sabine shrieked. "We are not the ones spreading the curse!" She sobbed desperately. "We are not the ones spreading the curse..."