"I thought we were meeting with the Sentinels?" Ezra asks as he looks around Helios’ secret garden.
Somehow, instead of heading toward the meeting halls, Helios brought him here instead.
Ezra could’ve called him out the moment he realized where they were going.
Could’ve stopped walking and questioned him immediately.
But—
Ezra wanted to see where this would go.
Because Helios walked like he already had a plan in mind.
Or at the very least, a goal.
And Ezra’s own goal right now was simple.
Get information from Helios.
Whatever information he could get.
So now they sat across from each other in the familiar glass chairs surrounded by flowers and climbing vines.
The same garden Ezra used to think was peaceful.
Romantic even.
Now it just felt isolating.
Too quiet.
Ezra tries his best not to notice the way Helios kept staring at him.
Constantly.
Like he was trying to memorize Ezra’s expression every second.
"I had the meeting moved to later," Helios answers smoothly with a small smile. "And since I feel bad for...everything...I decided to have the two of us talk in our favorite spot."
Helios decided.
Yeah.
’Aurethys, how have I never noticed that everything had always been about Helios?’ Ezra thought while still forcing a smile onto his face.
Even now.
Even after all this.
Helios still made decisions for Ezra instead of with him.
"That’s considerate," Ezra says politely.
No, it wasn’t.
Because Helios was obviously doing this for himself.
Not for Ezra.
And the more Ezra paid attention now, the more he realized most of Helios’ actions had always centered around his own feelings first.
His own wants.
His own comfort.
And as Kaelis told him, Helios loved Ezra.
If that could even be considered love anymore.
It felt unhealthy.
Possessive.
Like Helios simply wanted Ezra close enough to soothe himself.
"I never told you about it because I didn’t want you to see me differently," Helios says quietly, his eyes still fixed on Ezra.
Ezra says nothing.
"It’s stupid, but I felt attached to you since you saved me." Helios smiles faintly, almost nostalgic now. "You helped me get back my brooch, and it wasn’t normal for a prince to have a friend that didn’t see me as a political tool."
Helios’ words sounded convincing.
Painfully convincing.
His tone was soft.
Sincere.
Carefully vulnerable.
And Ezra realized that was what made Helios so dangerous.
Because he lied beautifully.
Ezra already knew the truth now.
Kaelis told him that the brooch belonged to him.
Meaning Helios was still lying directly to Ezra’s face even now.
And somehow that hurt more than if Helios simply admitted the truth openly.
Because Helios was still trying to maintain the illusion.
Still trying to control the narrative.
’God...’ Ezra thought quietly. ’If I was still blind, I would’ve believed every word.’
"I know it was wrong," Helios continues. "But that doesn’t mean everything else was a lie."
Ezra watches him carefully now.
"I value you a lot, Ezra. I think deep inside, you knew that."
Yeah.
Ezra probably did know.
That was the worst part.
He knew Helios valued him.
Knew Helios cared in his own way.
But Ezra didn’t want it anymore.
Not like this.
Not when that affection came tangled with manipulation and control.
"I hope you understand, Ezra." Helios’ voice softens further. "I valued your opinion of me more than anyone else’s. I might’ve lied, maybe I hid some truths..."
Then Helios smiles weakly.
"But all of it was because I care about you."
Ezra almost rolled his eyes right there.
Because the amount of emotional manipulation happening right now was genuinely unbelievable.
And the horrifying part?
Ezra knew he would’ve completely fallen for this before.
Every single word.
He would’ve comforted Helios.
Reassured him.
Probably apologized too.
’Dear Aurethys, I really was hopeless.’
Ezra couldn’t help but despise himself.
No wonder Kaelis kept shaming him for it.
Helios finally stops speaking after that, the silence settling heavily between them.
Ezra tries to think of what to say next, but honestly?
He didn’t know anymore.
Because this entire conversation felt deeply messed up.
Helios didn’t even mention storming off a few days ago.
Didn’t apologize to Kaelis.
Didn’t acknowledge threatening him.
Nothing.
It was all centered around how Helios felt.
How Helios suffered.
How Helios cared.
And somehow, that disappointed Ezra more than he expected.
But then again...
Should he really expect anything else anymore?
Ezra exhales quietly through his nose before forcing himself to relax slightly against the chair.
This was for the investigation.
For Lior.
That was the only reason he was sitting here pretending this conversation wasn’t making his skin crawl.
So in the name of the investigation, Ezra took the high road.
Or more accurately—
He said everything Kaelis would probably want him to say right now.
Or what the stupid version of him would say.
"I understand why you hid it," Ezra says softly after a moment, carefully watching Helios’ reaction. "And maybe I reacted too emotionally at first."
Helios immediately seems to brighten at that.
Like genuine relief washed over him.
"I just..." Ezra continues carefully, hating every word leaving his mouth. "I don’t want us to throw away years of friendship because of one mistake."
One mistake.
’God forgive me for lying this hard.’
Because calling everything Helios did a "mistake" felt ridiculous at this point.
Still, Helios looked almost delighted hearing it.
Actually delighted.
The tension in his shoulders visibly eased, and suddenly Ezra understood exactly what Kaelis meant.
Helios genuinely believed Ezra came back.
Came back to him.
Back into his clutches.
The realization disgusted Ezra so badly he almost lost his smile for a second.
But he held it together.
For Lior.
For Lior.
For Lior.
Everything was for Lior now.
"I knew you would understand eventually," Helios says softly, sounding almost affectionate again. "You always understand me better than everyone else."
Ezra almost wanted to laugh at that.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was insane.
Still, Ezra only smiles weakly in response. "Of course, Helios."
And strangely enough, Helios suddenly changes the subject afterward.
Almost immediately.
"So...how is Lior doing?"
Ezra immediately stills internally.
There it was.
Lior.
Somehow hearing Helios ask about him now made Ezra deeply uncomfortable.
Especially because there was a very high chance Helios already knew the truth.
That Lior was Ezra’s son.
Maybe more than that.
Maybe Helios even suspected who Lior’s father was too.
The thought alone made Ezra’s stomach tighten painfully.
"He’s okay," Ezra answers carefully. "He’s coping well considering everything."
Helios hums quietly.
"That must’ve been scary."
His gaze lingers on Ezra a second longer.
"Especially for you."
Ezra’s chest tightens slightly.
"What do you mean?" he asks carefully.
Helios smiles faintly.
"Nothing. Just..." He shrugs lightly. "You’re basically Lior’s parent at this point."
Ezra forces himself not to react.
Not too strongly at least.
Because for half a second, it almost sounded like Helios was testing him.
Fishing for a reaction.
’Calm down. Just answer normally.’
Ezra exhales quietly before nodding once.
"Well, I’ve been taking care of him alone for years now. Of course I’d panic if something happened."
Helios watches him carefully after that.
Too carefully.
Then finally, Helios leans back slightly.
"Fizzy’s getting better, by the way."
Ezra immediately feels himself tense internally again.
"He really wants to apologize for failing to protect Lior," Helios continues. "And if you still need someone to watch over Lior for you, Fizzy is still available."
Ezra smiles politely.
"No need."
Helios pauses.
"Fizzy can continue resting," Ezra says calmly. "Love has been taking care of Lior lately."
And for the first time since this conversation started—
Helios visibly tenses.
Not dramatically.
Just enough for Ezra to notice.
A slight tightening in his jaw.
His fingers paused briefly against the armrest.
Tiny.
But there.
’...Interesting.’ Ezra thought immediately.
Because Helios reacted.
To Love specifically.
And suddenly, Kaelis’ warnings echoed loudly inside Ezra’s head again.
Watch Helios carefully.
Pay attention to what bothers him.
Helios smiles again after a second, but this time it looks slightly more strained.
"...Love?" he repeats casually. "As in Kaelis’ old maid?"
Ezra nods slowly.
"Yes. Lior likes her a lot."
Helios goes quiet for just a little too long.
’He seems annoyed.’ Ezra thought immediately.
Then finally, Helios asks,
"Why?"
Ezra blinks once.
"Why what?"
"Why her?" Helios asks, and this time the tension beneath his voice becomes more obvious. "You know Fizzy better. You trust him. In this situation, why would you trust Lior to a complete stranger?"
His tone was tight.
Like he was actively forcing himself not to sound upset.
Or angry.
Ezra studies him quietly for a second.
Because honestly?
That reaction alone already told him far too much.
Helios didn’t like losing control over things connected to Ezra.
Especially not Lior.
And especially not to Kaelis.
"She isn’t a stranger anymore," Ezra answers carefully. "Lior’s comfortable with her."
Helios immediately responds.
"But you barely know her."
Ezra almost frowned at how quickly that answer came out.
’There it is again.’
That strange possessiveness.
Like Helios was offended Ezra trusted someone he didn’t personally approve of.
"Kaelis trusts her," Ezra says simply. "And honestly, Love has been kind to both of us."
Helios’ smile weakens slightly at the mention of Kaelis again.
Ezra notices it immediately now.
God, he really never used to pay attention before.
Now every expression Helios made felt obvious.
Easy to read.
And somehow that terrified Ezra more than Helios being unreadable ever did.
Because Helios wasn’t nearly as composed as Ezra once believed.
He was emotional.
Reactive.
Especially when it came to Kaelis.
"I just think you should be careful," Helios says after a moment, though now his tone almost sounds gentler again. "You don’t know everyone’s intentions."
The irony nearly made Ezra choke.
’You cannot possibly be saying that to me with a straight face.’
"And..." Helios furrows his eyebrows.
’And?’ Ezra thought.
"...since when do you refer to Kaelis without formalities?"