Page 49 of Kingdom of Death and Hope

You need all the rest you can get. When the curse is broken and things have calmed down we are going to take a week of no interruptions and just get the rest we both need. But you need to sleep right now so you can heal properly.

I push myself off the table and look over at Mother. “I’m going to go lie down and try to get some sleep.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” Mother says as she looks back at me. “Do you need help walking to your room?”

“I think I’m okay,” I mumble.

I grit my teeth with each step I take, my leg burning with intense pain and heat. How am I going to get anywhere when I’m in this much pain?

You aren’t going to. For the next several days you are going to stay in the house and not walk around much. I want that to be healed and you not to be in pain before you come and see me, Kieran tells me.

I need to stop broadcasting my thoughts to you, I grumble. I won’t be able to get away with anything if I subconsciously do that to you.

And I hope you never stop doing it. I want you to always tell me what you’re thinking and I will do the same for you. There are no secrets between us.

Really?

Yes, really. I will answer any questions you want and tell you the truth. And I hope that you will do the same for me if I ever ask you questions.

I’ll try my best.

Now, lay down and close your eyes while I talk to you. You are going to get a good night sleep.

Several days have passed since I found out my leg was infected. Mother has been helping me clean and put the salve on it. I still can’t bring myself to put it on or even look at it. Will I even be able to look at the scar it leaves behind?

“Is it looking better?” I ask as Mother gently puts the salve on.

“It does. Does it feel better?”

“Not really,” I say through clenched teeth.

“I’m going to put a wrap around it and I want you to go and see him,” Mother says softly. “I want you to get his opinion on it since you don’t want to bring a doctor to the house or go see one.”

“You know why I don’t want to.” I clench the fabric of my dress in my hands as she starts wrapping my leg. “I don’t want to get taken to the palace and not be able to return. While he is being nice right now and not allowing me to see Avira and letting me stay here, he made it very clear that he is still the same prince and I will be under his control when we get married. He won’t allow me to go out to the forest which means he probably won’t allow me to come and see you. I don’t want to start that early.”

And then my life will be over and I will never be able to visit Kieran again.

Mother gently pats my knee. “I understand why you don’t want to, but I’m worried about you. This cut is serious and I wish you would have had the doctor look at it when they first came here.”

“She did look at it and said to clean it regularly and to put medicine on it. Those were her only instructions,” I reply.

Mother sighs. “You know what I mean.”

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to forget about everything,” I mumble.

“It’s okay. I truthfully just wish I had taken better care of you and made sure that you were healing fine,” she whispers. “I seem to be failing at protecting you recently.”

“No, you haven’t.” I place my hand on top of hers.

“Enough of this. Go see him.” Mother stands up and walks out of the bathroom.

I look down at the white bandage around my thigh.

I’m coming to the forest. Mother wants you to look at my thigh or maybe a healer of yours could? I ask.

We’ll be there, he replies.

I push myself off the chair and painfully make my way back to the kitchen and grab my coat.