Chapter 79

"You are not on a kneeling place," he said stoically.

In my rush to talk to him, I'd missed my kneeling place by a foot. I shuffled forward and begged again.

"This is the only punishment I can give you," he said into my ear. "You will feel it until I am satisfied."

I ate lunch without another word to the man. My distress wasn't going to sway him. Rose was right, I thought as I ate, I would just have to ignore it.

By the time to leave the Keepers, my hands were mostly numb. I knelt with Fuji waiting outside dejectedly. If they took the bindings off, I'd never touch myself again.

"I'll ask for you," Fuji promised, but I knew that was not possible.

Fuji felt bad for me, but she would never be able to ask her owners to do something they didn't want to do. It just wasn't in her nature.

A flash of metal at my elbow surprised me and the bindings were cut right down the middle. My arms flopped uselessly at my sides. Now free of the leather my