"Please go."

Cade had buried his face in his hands, his fingers clawed as though he sought to penetrate his own flesh and remove it entirely. He faced fully away from them now, cowering like a beaten dog, unable to look at them again. He had no further defenses, and could only hope they would accept his plea.

Tonight would be bad. He would spend far too long in the steams, scrubbing his skin raw, but he would never be clean enough.