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“Run, Maya.”
At fifteen years of age, Arjun should have outgrown this childish game. The rules, expectations, and outcome were always the same: Maya took a head start to sprint through the woods until her younger half-brother inevitably caught her and would knock her to the ground or pull her hair and laugh until he got bored.
On this hot, sultry day she couldn’t get her usual speed when the heavy air itself felt like an obstacle. Arjun was close enough to grab her, but he made no move until he rushed in front of her and swerved to pin her to a tree.
“I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to do when I caught you.”
There was a vicious hunger in his voice that warned Maya that this was no longer a childish game. Panic gripped her, and even though she had no hope to match Arjun’s strength, she fought the break free with frenzied desperation.
“Stop struggling. I know that Father told you to never turn down any advances,” he spat.
“Don’t think this was what he meant.”
A powerful hand closed around Maya’s throat, and she gasped for air. “Shut your whore mouth, halfbreed! Your place in this world is to submit.”