"Pain is just energy that is stuck, Aunt," he explained, lying with the confidence of a seasoned con artist. "By applying the right pressure, in the right rhythm... we release it. We make the body flow again. It makes you stronger. Better."
He began to knead her shoulders, digging his thumbs into the tight cords of her neck.
"It brings pleasure where there was pain," Sol whispered, leaning his weight into her. "Just relax. Let me do everything."
Lyra let out a long, shuddering breath as his thumbs worked into the stiff muscles of her traps. The pressure was firm, borderline painful, but it was a sweet pain that melted into a dull, throbbing relief.
"You have carried too much weight," Sol murmured, his voice low and hypnotic. He shifted his position, moving from beside her to kneel directly over her thighs, straddling her legs. The sudden weight on her lower body made her gasp into the furs, but Sol didn't retreat. "Stay still, Aunt. I need leverage."
