Kingdom of Ash

grind together here”—she gently touched the
spot on Elide’s upper foot, then a spot down
by her toes—“arthritis is already setting in.
As the bones continue to grind together, the
arthritis, that pain you feel when you walk,
will only worsen. There may come a point in a
few years—maybe five, maybe ten, it’s hard
to tell—when you find the pain to be so bad
that no salve can help you.”
“So I would need the healing then,
regardless.”
“It’s up to you whether you want the
healing at all. I only want you to have a better
idea of the road ahead.” She smiled at the
lady. “It’s up to you to decide how you wish
to face it.”
Yrene tapped Elide’s foot, and the lady
lowered it back to the floor before putting her
sock back on, then her boot. Efficient, easy
motions.