SAVIOUR IN PLAID SKIRTS

The sting of iron still burned against my skin. Every breath I took rattled my ribs, a reminder that I had barely survived today's torture.

Tomorrow's might be much worse and what we're the odds that Thania would be there to save me.

The iron maiden had drained every ounce of strength from my body, and yet, Mother Olga had merely waved a hand, dismissing us like we were nothing more than dirty laundry.

We were herded into a dimly lit chamber, the air was thick with steam and the scent of damp stone. Large stone basins lined the room.

They were filled with ice-cold water and the guards wasted no time in shoving us in.

I sucked in a sharp breath as the freezing water swallowed me whole. My muscles seized and my teeth clattered so hard I thought they would break.

The pain was immediate as my body rejected the sudden shift from agonizing heat to unbearable cold.