Page 158 of Kingdom of Death and Hope

She was, I reply, exhausted.

How are you feeling now?

Exhausted. In pain. Wondering if it would be better for me to just cut off my whole leg instead of going through this.

Sweets, it’s going to get better. You just need to trust that cleaning it and going through a little pain in the beginning will be worth it, he says.

I thought it was all okay. It looked completely normal and healthy whenever I saw it last week. It was closed and almost scabbed. How did it get infected again? I ask.

It didn’t make any sense at all. It shouldn’t have gotten this infected in only a week.

Did you do anything? he asks.

I went and saw you several times. I’ve been walking around the house and I’ve run a couple of errands for mother but nothing too serious. I’ve been taking it very easy and trying not to walk as much.

Did you come in contact with anyone new?

No, I sigh.

I wrack my memories just to be sure but nothing stands out when I think about everything that I’ve done.

Could it be Avira? I ask, letting my mind wander back to my original thoughts.

No. Do not think that way. It might have been just from your dress rubbing up against it. It could have been several different things combined, but do not think about the witch, Kieran says sternly.

But could she do something like this? I ask. Could she do something to make my cut get infected?

She could, but why would she?

Because she can’t get to me right now. She can’t get close to me to ask me where the book is or who you are. Prince Archie said for right now she won’t be able to get close to me. That must have made her angry.

It had to make her furious. If I was in her position I would be so mad. Going from being able to go to whoever and talk to whoever to not being able to get close to one person… yeah that would be infuriating.

If she was going to do something it would be much worse than getting your wound infected. She would want to do something that would put you in so much pain that you wouldn’t be able to do anything, Kieran explains. That’s how she has always been.

Okay, I whisper.

The witch has always been someone who wants to make people suffer. Whenever she has done something, it is always excruciating for her victim. You must have opened up the wound without realizing it and your dress rubbed against it, making it irritated and then it got infected. With some salve and cleaning, it should be healed and new before you know it.

I trust you.

Henry will give you the salve tomorrow morning. It should be enough for this wound to heal and for you to have left over in case something else happens to you, your mother, or your younger brother.

Thank you so much for this. Is there enough salve for other people to have it if they need it? I ask. I feel like I’ve been using up a lot recently and no one else can have any.

What if it’s just like the candy and there isn’t a lot left or it’s hard to make?

We have plenty of salve. This is one thing that we have too much of and you can use as much as you need and want. No one here wants you hurt for a long time and will gladly give you any and all the salve.

If that ever changes you’ll let me know, right? I ask. I don’t want to take more than I should.

I promise I will let you know.

Thank you.

How about you go into bed and I’ll talk to you until you fall asleep? Kieran suggests.

But it’s so early.