101 (DEIRK POV)

(DEIRK POV)

The struggle had been almost overwhelming for hours. Mag was vulnerable and weak, and all I could think about was how easy it would be to rip him apart. Every time I tried to push the thoughts away, the memories came flooding back, vivid and sharp, slicing through my mind like the knives he used on me for centuries.

I leaned back, trying to escape the constant loop of flashbacks. Percy lay beside me, close enough that I could feel his heartbeat against me.

He always knew when I was close to breaking. His touch was steady, tracing shapes across my chest.

He was trying to remind me I was still here, still in control. But the memories were relentless.

The first time Mag strapped me down, I thought I'd die from the pain. I could still feel the cold metal biting into my wrists, the restraints cutting into my skin as he stood over me.

The blade he used wasn't sharp.

It was dull, dragging across my chest just deep enough to make me scream but not enough to kill. He enjoyed it