Paying the Price

Chapter 53: June

Lucus brought food to the cell for Janae and I but I wasn't the least bit hungry.

"Junie, you need to eat," Oliver told me.

Oakley was holding a sleeping Janae in the corner. I was extremely worried for her.

Oakley didn't look much better himself. He was obviously very stressed and tired.

"I'm not hungry," I told Oliver.

"I don't care, you are eating. Here," he shoved the food in my mouth.

It was hard not to spit it out but I managed to swallow.

I ate a few more bites but I couldn't do much.

"June, talk to me, what's going on in your head?" Oliver asked.

"Janae didn't even tell me she was going to do that. She tells me everything. She is becoming more and more like Oakley and I don't like it. We are supposed to be a team that works together and doesn't keep secrets but everyone keeps forgetting that."

"Well, we are a team. We always have been and always will be but you know Oakley takes his role as the oldest very seriously. That's not completely his fault, Father has always treated him differently because he is the oldest. So we can't fully blame him for that however I agree that Janae has been acting off too."

"Did you know?"

Oliver looked guilty. He knew something. "She mentioned it to me and I agreed that Oakley didn't need to do anymore but I didn't want her to do any either."

Our conversation was then interrupted by Lucus arriving back at the cell. "King Leo has requested Prince Oakley and Princess June to be escorted to him immediately."

"What? Why?" Oakley was quick to respond.

"I do not know your highness but we must hurry. You know that he is impatient."

Oakley looked over towards me, trying to read if I knew what was going on which I did not.

He stood up with Janae still in his arms and carefully passed her off to Oliver to hold in hopes of not waking her. "Don't wake her up, we will be back as soon as possible."

Oliver nodded and gently took my sister who was still in a deep sleep.

"Don't let her try to walk or anything if she wakes up. The bandages should be fine you can give her more painkillers in an hour-" I tried to tell him as Oakley and I were being whisked out of the cell.

Oakley came and grabbed my hand as soon as we left the cell. I wrapped my arm around his and leaned on him, slightly scared for what was to come.

"Any idea on what Father needs?" I quietly asked.

"No, but I don't want you to let go of me. When we see him stay behind me but don't let go okay?"

I wasn't going to let go anyway but I nodded at his request. We traveled up the stairs and down the hall towards our parent's room.

Oakley knocked "Your Majesty? It is Prince Oakley and Princess June, you requested to see us?"

He opened the door and started to look the two of us up and down.

I could feel my hands shaking in fear. Oakley gently rubbed his thumb over my hands the way all three of my siblings do to try and calm me down. He also pushed me behind him so Father could only see about half of my body.

"No need to be shy June," Father called me out. "Let me see you."

I slowly moved out from behind Oakley and next to him, but still not letting go of his hand.