Ezra stared at Kaelis.

He knew Kaelis was joking.

He knew the tone, the way his lips curved just enough to soften the words, the way his voice carried that familiar teasing edge.

But even then—

Something about it lingered.

Something about it didn’t sit as lightly as it should have.

’...have I really been that obvious?’ Ezra thought, his smile fading just a little as the realization settled in.

Not just obvious.

Aurien also knew how Ezra felt about him, but even then, Ezra knew he was much more decent to Aurien compared to Kaelis.

All his anger.

All of it—

Directed at Kaelis.

His gaze dropped for a moment, his fingers shifting slightly against the armrest as something uncomfortable pressed against his chest.

Guilt.

It was faint.

But it was there.

’I might not have been fair,’ Ezra admitted to himself, his brows pulling together slightly.

He had his reasons.

He always did.

But that didn’t mean it didn’t affect the other person.

Didn’t mean Kaelis didn’t notice.

Didn’t mean it didn’t matter.

For a brief moment, Ezra considered it.

Saying something.

Apologizing.

Even just a simple acknowledgment—

But the words didn’t come.

He didn’t know how to start.

Didn’t know if he even should.

And before he could decide—

Kaelis spoke again.

"We should talk about Helios now," Kaelis says, the shift in his tone immediate, the teasing edge gone, replaced with something more grounded. "Everything about the truth."

Ezra stilled slightly.

The moment the name left Kaelis’ mouth, something in his chest tightened again, sharper this time, more immediate, like his body reacted before his mind could catch up.

"...right."

The word came out quieter than he intended.

For a second—

Just a second—

He didn’t want to.

Didn’t want to dig into it anymore.

Didn’t want to hear more things that would make everything worse.

’Can’t I just...leave it for now?’ Ezra thought, his gaze drifting for a brief moment before returning, his fingers tightening faintly against the armrest.

But he couldn’t.

He knew that.

If he stopped now, if he avoided it again—

Then nothing would change.

And he’d just be left with more questions.

More doubt.

More of that same feeling sits in his chest, heavy and unresolved.

He was the one who asked for this conversation in the first place.

He was the one who wanted answers.

So despite the small dread creeping in—

He nodded.

Kaelis nodded as well, like he expected that answer, like there was no other outcome in his mind.

"First of all, I think you already figured out most of the truth that I think you should know," Kaelis begins, leaning back slightly, his posture more relaxed, but his gaze steady, watching Ezra carefully. "Helios lied about being the one who gave you bread; he hasn’t told you about all his failures in the past five years that have caused the despair of many of our citizens."

Ezra listened quietly.

His jaw tightened just slightly, the muscle shifting beneath his skin, but he didn’t interrupt.

Didn’t argue.

Didn’t defend.

Not this time.

’Just listen,’ Ezra told himself, his fingers curling slightly, grounding himself in the feeling. ’Don’t react yet.’

He kept his eyes on Kaelis.

He stayed still.

"But there is one more thing I want you to know," Kaelis continues, his voice lowering just a bit, the shift subtle but clear, something heavier settling into his tone. "Something important that I am sure you don’t know yet. I feel like you don’t have to know everything else he hasn’t told you, because you would care about this the most."

That—

That made Ezra brace himself.

His breath slowed, deeper now, more deliberate, as he straightened just slightly in his seat, his focus sharpening, whatever hesitation he had earlier pushed aside for now.

His chest tightened again, but this time he didn’t look away.

Didn’t retreat.

’Of course there is,’ Ezra thought, the words settling heavily in his mind, but he held his ground.

He stayed.

He faced it.

He took a small breath.

"What is it, Your Highness?"

Kaelis also seemed to have braced himself, taking a deep breath as he looked Ezra in the eyes. "What did my brother tell you about the original Sunward Sentinels?"

Oh.

Oh no.

It was about the original Sunward Sentinels.

Which made Ezra’s dread worse, settling deeper into his chest, heavier than before, like he already knew he wasn’t going to like whatever came next.

"He...told me that they left after everything happened, because of his failures," Ezra says slowly, the words feeling strange in his mouth now that he was saying them out loud. "That they chose to leave."

Even as he spoke, something about it felt off.

It didn’t sit right anymore.

’Why does that sound so...weak?’ Ezra thought, his fingers tightening slightly against his palm.

Kaelis almost groaned. "And you believed that?"

Ezra was surprised.

It wasn’t just the words.

It was the way Kaelis said it.

Frustration, clear and unfiltered, slipping through without restraint.

It was the first time Kaelis openly showed that kind of reaction toward him, and it made Ezra’s eyes widen slightly.

"Apologies, it’s just..." Kaelis ran his hands through his hair, exhaling sharply as if trying to pull himself back together. "You’re smart. You’re very smart. It just so happens when it comes to my brother, you don’t really—"

"Just please tell me."

Ezra cuts him off.

He tried to keep his voice steady.

Tried to keep it calm.

But it still came out sharper than he intended, the edge slipping through despite his effort.

"Prince Kaelis, I’m very much well-aware now of how I’ve been," Ezra continues, his gaze fixed on him, more grounded now, more serious. "That’s why I’m just asking you to please tell me."

There was a small pause.

Kaelis stared at him.

Not briefly.

Not casually.

He looked at him like he was measuring something, like he was making sure Ezra could actually handle it this time.

Then he nodded.

"Okay," Kaelis says, quieter now. "I’ll tell it to you straight."

There was no teasing in his voice anymore.

No softness.

Just the truth.

"My brother...he disbanded all the old Sentinels."

"Dis...banded?"

Ezra’s breath stilled.

His eyes widened, his body going still for a second as the word settled, heavy and unfamiliar in a way that didn’t make sense.

"What do you mean by disbanded?"

"I mean what you think I mean," Kaelis answers, his tone firm, leaving no room for misunderstanding. "He got every single one of the original Sentinels removed, and completely replaced them."

The words hit.

Harder than Ezra expected.

’No.’

His mind stalled.

Just for a second.

Then tried to catch up.

’That doesn’t make sense.’

The Original Sunward Sentinels were loyal.

They weren’t just knights.

They were people Ezra grew up with.

People he trained with.

People he bled with.

They weren’t just a unit.

They were...family.

So why—

Why would Helios do that?

"Did he ever say why?" Ezra asks, his voice quieter now, but there was something tight underneath it, something restrained.

Though even as he asked—

He already knew.

There was no reason that would be enough.

Not for all of them.

Not for every single one.

"Actually, I don’t know," Kaelis admits, shaking his head slightly. "He never told anyone. If anything, I only overheard him telling that aide of yours, Fizzy, that he removed all the Sunward Sentinels, and he was looking for new ones."

Ezra’s gaze dropped.

His thoughts were moving more slowly now.

Heavier.

"So in everyone’s eyes..." Ezra starts, his voice trailing for a second before he finishes it, "...did they just leave their prince?"

"Yes."

That single word landed heavier than everything else.

’What the actual fuck?’

Ezra’s jaw tightened, his fingers curling into his palm, nails pressing just enough to ground him.

Wasn’t that bad for them?

For the knights?

For his friends?

Being seen as abandoning their prince—

That wasn’t just a misunderstanding.

That was a shame.

That was something that could follow them for the rest of their lives.

Ezra didn’t even want to think about it before.

Back then, he convinced himself they had their reasons.

That they chose to leave.

That they weren’t forced.

But now—

Now that didn’t hold.

They were forced out.

By the very prince they served.

Without a choice.

Without even the dignity of the truth.

’I never told Leomord and Friendrinn where I was going...’ Ezra thought, something sinking deeper in his chest, heavier than the rest. ’If I had...would’ve they told me?’

But then again, it was happening when he was pregnant or had just given birth.

Ezra wouldn’t have been able to do anything.

"Those were my friends." He mumbles, looking down at his lap. "Those were his comrades, how could he..."

"I know. But..."

"But?" Ezra asks, still looking down.

"There’s a silver lining."