"Stealth and Sprint?" Vereesa sneered. "You little brat, you're as sly as a monkey. You nearly got away."
"Th-Third Sister, I was just testing how well I'd learned my skills," Lirath Windrunner said awkwardly.
"How well you'd learned them?" Vereesa sneered.
"Heh... heh heh... looks like... looks like..."
Lirath felt another beating coming. Gritting his teeth, he covered his head. "Not the head!" Then he resigned himself to whatever she might do.
"You little brat, when have you ever escaped from me?" Vereesa let go of Lirath. "Run! Go on, run again!"
Lirath shook his head frantically. "I'm not running! I'm not running!"
He wasn't stupid. Third Sister wasn't hitting him now and was telling him to run instead. If he actually ran, the beating would only be worse when she caught him. He had been through this countless times since childhood, so he obediently stayed put.
"Do you want a beating?" Vereesa asked.
"No!" Lirath shook his head.
"Then come here. Third Sister needs your help with something," Vereesa said, her tone softening.
"You're not going to hit me?" Lirath was astonished.
"No. Help me, and I won't hit you," Vereesa said.
"I will! Of course I will!" Knowing he would be spared a beating, Lirath immediately perked up. "What do you need me to do? Just say the word, and I'll do it right away."
Vereesa leaned close to Lirath's ear and whispered for a while. Suddenly, Lirath jumped. "Third Sister, you... you... I'm not doing it. Just beat me instead!"
"What are you scared of?" Vereesa held Lirath down. "Keep your voice down! Do you want everyone to hear?"
"But... but... Third Sister, Eldest Sister really will get angry if we do that," Lirath stammered.
"You idiot! We just have to keep Eldest Sister from finding out,"