Ezra was not disappointed.
No.
Not even slightly.
Why would he be?
Why would he be disappointed over—No. He was not even going to finish that thought because he was absolutely not disappointed.
’Then why am I annoyed?’ he wondered, staring stubbornly at the collar of Helios’ uniform instead of his face. ’There is no reason to be annoyed.’
Definitely no reason.
Oh, who was he kidding?
He was annoyed.
And yes, maybe a little disappointed.
Why?
Because Helios had ntioned the possibility of "helping" him after Ezra explained the situation.
Helping.
And Ezra should not have been surprised. Helios was practical. Responsible. Infuriatingly composed. Of course he would offer assistance in a straightforward, clinical way.
And yes, if Helios had actually ant the help help, Ezra would have denied it with his entire soul. He would have rather thrown himself off the palace balcony than admit he needed that kind of help.
But so twisted, traitorous part of him had still—
For a second—
Been pleased.
’My judgnt was clearly compromised,’ he told himself firmly. ’Pheromones. That’s all it was.’
Now?
Now he was just being carried.
Still.
"Helios," Ezra muttered, arms crossed awkwardly over his chest while being bridal-carried through the compound like so delicate court lady. "Please put down. I feel fine now. I could walk even minutes ago."
Helios didn’t even glance down at him.
"I told you, Ezra. Since this was my fault, I will help you."
"That is not necessary."
"It is obvious you cannot stand properly because of your oga tendencies."
Ezra’s eyes twitched.
He really wanted to curse.
Loudly.
"My oga tendencies?" he repeated flatly.
"Yes."
"I walked perfectly fine for five years without fainting over alphas."
Helios ignored that.
"Soone might see us," Ezra added quickly, lowering his voice as they neared the palace entrance.
"No one will."
"But soone might."
"I will sense them."
"You cannot possibly sense every—"
"I can."
Ezra stared at him.
The worst part?
Helios sounded completely serious.
’This is humiliating,’ Ezra thought bitterly. ’I am the captain of the Sunward Sentinels. And now I am being escorted like fragile porcelain because my body decided to betray .’
He shifted slightly in Helios’ arms, trying not to think about how stable the hold felt. How warm.
How easy it would be to just—
No.
Absolutely not.
"Helios," he said again, quieter this ti. "You are overreacting."
Helios finally looked down at him.
"No," he said calmly. "I am simply reacting."
"What does that even an?" Ezra muttered under his breath.
He wasn’t even sure if Helios heard him.
If he did, he gave no sign.
Helios continued walking as though he had not just said sothing completely vague and entirely unhelpful. The palace doors were only a short distance away now, tall and silent under the dim glow of lantern light. The gold threading on Helios’ uniform caught faintly in the evening glow.
After a few steps, Helios spoke again.
"You seem upset."
Ezra blinked. "I am not."
Helios raised a brow.
"You are frowning."
"I am always frowning."
"That is not true."
Ezra clicked his tongue softly. "You are imagining things."
Helios glanced down at him. "This is not the first ti I have carried you."
Ezra stiffened imdiately. "Don’t remind ."
A faint smile tugged at Helios’ mouth. "You were unconscious the first ti."
"Yes," Ezra replied flatly. "I would prefer to rember that version."
Helios let out a quiet breath that might have been a laugh.
They walked a few more steps in silence. The quiet between them felt heavier than usual.
Then Helios tried again, this ti more directly.
"What happened? Why are you upset? Tell ."
Ezra stared straight ahead at the palace entrance as if it might save him from this conversation.
"I said, I am not, Your Highness."
Helios’s eyes sharpened slightly.
"You call by my title when you are upset with ."
Ezra opened his mouth. Closed it.
"I—"
"Do not lie," Helios added calmly. "It only makes more curious."
’Of course it does,’ Ezra thought bitterly.
He shifted in Helios’ arms, crossing them tighter over his chest as though that would shield him from scrutiny.
"You are overanalyzing."
Helios did not look convinced.
"You look disappointed," Helios said quietly.
Ezra’s stomach twisted.
’Disappointed?’
The word struck too close.
"No, I am not," Ezra replied a little too quickly.
Helios adjusted his hold slightly. Still steady. Still unyielding.
"Then explain it to ."
Ezra hesitated.
Because the truth about the drink was humiliating.
But the truth that had been sitting under his skin since earlier that morning—
That was worse.
’I did not want to bring this up now,’ he thought. ’But it is better than admitting the other thing.’
He inhaled slowly.
"Why didn’t you tell ," Ezra asked, voice quieter now, more serious, "that you used to oversee the kidnapping cases?"
Helios went still.
Ezra felt it imdiately. The subtle shift in muscle beneath his hands. The slight tightening in Helios’ arms.
"And why," Ezra continued, glancing up at him, searching his expression, "did you hand that case to Prince Kaelis of all people?"
The warmth between them cooled.
Helios did not answer right away.
His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
Ezra could feel it.
"How did you know?"
That was Helios’ first response.
Not denial.
Not anger.
Just that.
Ezra looked up at him. "Prince Aurien ntioned it this morning when we were talking."
He kept his voice even. Honest.
"And I’ve been aning to talk to you about it," he added. "But I did not get the chance until... now."
Helios humd quietly, the sound low in his chest. He exhaled through his nose.
"I was not supposed to tell you," he said after a mont. "At least not until a few weeks after your return."
Ezra’s brows drew together. "Why?"
They had reached the palace steps now, but Helios did not imdiately enter. He stood there, still holding Ezra as though the conversation mattered more than propriety.
"Why didn’t you tell ?" Ezra pressed. "Why did you want to wait?"
Helios’ jaw tightened slightly.
"Because I knew you would be disappointed," he said plainly. "And you would have... strong opinions."
Ezra stared at him.
"Of course I would," he replied, sharper now. "But more than disappointed, I would be concerned."
His grip on Helios’ collar tightened without him realizing.
"Are you telling ," Ezra continued, voice lower but more intense, "that because I left, you handed over a case you were personally overseeing? A case your brother is still working on?"
The words felt heavier the more he said them.
Helios did not look away.
"It is not just about that."
"Then what is it about?" Ezra demanded, frustration slipping through.
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