Page 160 of Kingdom of Death and Hope

“You won’t need that today,” Mother says.

“I’m cold though.” I look back at her.

“It’s warmer outside. You will bring attention to yourself if you wear that. But if you are really that cold you can wear it. I just want you to be prepared to get some looks,” Mother tells me.

Sighing, I place it back on the hanger and walk toward the door. “I’ll be back.”

“Take your time!” she calls after me as I walk through the door.

Henry looks down at my thigh before turning to me. “Are you doing better? I haven’t seen you in a couple of days.”

“It still hurts like before but apparently it looks better than it did. I wouldn’t know since I haven’t been able to bring myself to look at it,” I mumble.

“You’ll be able to look at it when the time is right. Don’t force yourself to do something you aren’t ready to do,” Henry says as we start walking.

I grit my teeth and clench the fabric of my dress in my hands as we walk through the town. I’m going to need something to help me walk if it’s going to be this painful for a long time.

Am I going to rip open the cut by walking?

It’s too late now to go back home and talk to my mother about it. It can be something I ask Kieran and the doctor.

Please give me good news, I say in my head as we step into the forest.

“Do you think people are still talking about me?” I ask Henry.

“It has died down, but they still talk about you. You aren’t outside as much as you were before. Some are concerned, and some are spreading rumors about what they think happened to you,” Henry replies. “But once you get back to normal then it will die down even more. There will always be people who will say something to other people, but eventually they won’t care anymore.”

“I hope you’re right,” I whisper, and suck in a deep breath as pain shoots up my leg. “I need to take a second.”

I take several deep breaths through the pain. The thought of hiding my pain from Kieran crosses my mind but I know he has already felt it.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Henry asks.

“Mother wants me to come and see them. I want to see him. Whenever I’m with him, the pain lessens,” I tell him honestly. “But it does hurt and I don’t know how I’m going to bear the walk back.”

No matter how much time I rest with Kieran, I know the walk back is going to be even more brutal.

“Unless they have some magic that can heal me or take away the pain,” I offer. “But I don’t think they have that.”

Before I can say another word, arms lift me up and I’m staring into those beautiful cobalt blue eyes I love.

“Hello, Sweets.”

CHAPTER 18

“Kieran,” I say, breathless. “What are you doing here so close to the edge of the forest?”

“I heard you talking and I knew you were in pain. I decided to carry you the rest of the way,” he says as he starts walking further into the forest.

“I’ll see you soon,” Henry says, raising his voice as he walks in the opposite direction.

“You didn’t have to risk yourself to come and get me,” I mumble. “I was about to start walking again.”

“I didn’t want you to push yourself too much. You still have the walk back and I won’t be able to help you.”

“But—”

“No more. I have done what I have and there is no going back. I would do it over and over again if it meant giving you a little reprieve from the pain.”