Ch. 36.2 — “I’m so sorry, my dear, but we have to send a message to the castle.” Col looked at Janine with pity.
Janine struggled not to cry. All this time she had been caring for this boy, spinning fantasies about the two of them, and he had turned out to be another prince. “They’ll come and take him away, won’t they?”
Col closed his eyes for a moment. “I’m afraid so.”
Janine took several deep breaths, battling down her the tears. “What if… what if we said Ezra was too weak to be moved? It is true, after all. Especially with the snowy roads and cold weather. They could come here instead.”
Bee had tears in her eyes. “Wouldn’t that be very hard for you? Having all the girls of the kingdom coming here to kiss him?”
Janine stood stiff and silent in the middle of the room, her head bowed in grief. “I don’t care. I’d rather see him awake and healthy than to keep him for myself and have him die.” She looked up and gave them a bleary smile. “Bring on the fair maidens.”
Heartbroken, Janine trudged up the passageway, and the others followed her.
“We have to tell Jay the truth about our guest,” Janine said.
Fritter swallowed nervously. “Er. Can it wait until after dinner? He’s always in a better mood when his stomach is full.”
Carol Nicolas 