"Now," he said, turning his attention to Matias, "there is a price that must be paid for conspiring against my family. For the things you have done to Alannah, and whatever else you were planning to do. Matias, do you know what that price is?"

Matias spit on the ground in front of Dominics foot, he knew but Dominic knew that he was playing stupid. Alannah surveyed the scene and to her it appeared as though Matais was buying time, he had this stupid smirk on his face, and the look in his eyes had a look of anticipation that Alannah couldn't shake.

Dominic back handed Matias for spitting at him and then said, "First Matais, you will be beaten to within an inch of your life. You will be whipped until your back bleeds," Dominic said, casually moving towards the fireplace, he selecting a poker and jammed it into the hottest part of the fire, not taking his eyes off of Matias. "Next, you will be tied once again to a chair with a high back, you will be retrained not only at the hands and feet but we will also use a leather strap with buckle that will secure your head firmly in place. Then, in full view, a poker much like this one will be heated while you watch in anticpation. And much like this one, which is becoming red hot, the poker will be applied to your chest and you will be branded as a traitor."

Dominic removed the poker from the fire, he could feel the heat of the iron as the metal was red hot. Dominic brought the poker close enough to Matias's face so that he could feel the heat irradiating from it and smell the burn of the iron. Matias started panting in terror, his eyes were wide and fixed on the glowing poker in Dominic's hand. "At some point," Dominic continued, "the poker that will be used to torture you, will be thrust into your eyes." Dominic brought the poker closer to Matias's face, even as he spoke. "And while all this is taking place, your brain will register excruciating pain, causing you to scream like a little girl. So do you want to experience such torture or would you rather just talk and get it over with?"

"Dominic, please" Alannah said, her face contorted as if feeling the torture herself.

"Okay, OK…I'll talk!" Matias said, choking on his own saliva as he was on the verge of tears. "Please, Señor Dominic! I will tell you everything you want to know! Just don't hurt me!"

"But I have yet told you about the part where …"




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