Chapter 124: Why Peppermint?

Both Ezra and Kaelis began searching the moment Ezra calmed down just a bit, but it was just enough for Ezra to be somewhat himself again.

“Use your ears. I will use my eyes,” Kaelis whispers, because it was dark. Ezra was at a disadvantage, with nearly no moonlight bleeding through the trees.

But Kaelis’ golden eyes helped him see better than Ezra did. Not night vision, but something close enough to give him an edge.

While Ezra used the darkness to sharpen his other senses, especially his hearing.

So, as they moved through the woods, Ezra kept track of everything.

Every movement. Every shift in the air. Every crack of branches underfoot. Every sound that didn’t belong.

Kaelis moved just ahead of him, scanning the ground, searching for any sign of where Ricardo could’ve taken Lior, or where the Cultists might be.

’I don’t feel any gazes.’ Ezra thought.

It wasn’t like earlier, when he was fighting the Dark Ones and felt eyes on him the whole time.

Now… nothing.

It was as if the presence of the cultists had just disappeared.

Right when Ezra needed it the most.

They ran.

They searched.

They kept moving.

Time passed, though Ezra couldn’t tell how much. Seconds turned into minutes, and the longer they found nothing, the more it started to eat at him again.

The frustration crept back in.

He could feel himself slipping.

’If Ricardo hurts even a single hair on Lior…’

Ezra’s jaw tightened.

He didn’t care anymore what Ricardo was going through.

His baby was at stake.

He wasn’t giving anyone a pass. Not for grief. Not for desperation. Not for anything.

Call him selfish, but he didn’t see it that way.

He was a Maman.

And maybe, in another perspective, Ricardo was just being a father.

Then that was all this was.

A parent against a parent.

’And I’ll kill him before he gets the chance to explain himself.’

Ezra looked ahead again, his breathing uneven as he followed behind Kaelis, who was still focused on the ground.

The sadness was gone now.

Replaced by something sharper.

Anger.

It sat heavy in his chest, keeping him moving.

It was a good thing he looked up.

Because Kaelis wasn’t.

From the corner of his eye, Ezra saw something catch the light.

Small.

Very small.

On the side of a tree trunk.

But Ezra knew in his heart what it was.

Ezra slowed slightly.

’Golden…’

His eyes narrowed.

’No. That’s not light.’

It was too thick.

’That’s golden blood.’

His heart skipped.

It couldn’t be Kaelis’. It couldn’t have been Helios’ or Aurien’s.

So that meant—

’Lior.’

Ezra’s gaze shifted quickly, scanning ahead.

And there it was again.

Another faint mark.

Further in.

Not in the direction they were going.

’We’re going the wrong way.’

“Wait!” Ezra suddenly says, stopping mid-step.

Kaelis stopped immediately, turning his head sharply. “What is it?”

“I…” Ezra paused, forcing himself to think.

He couldn’t say it.

Not now.

Not like this.

“…I heard something from there.”

He pointed, just enough to redirect them, careful not to make it obvious where he was actually looking.

“Are you sure?” Kaelis says, confused. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“I’m positive,” Ezra says, his gaze fixed past Kaelis.

On the faint trail of gold.

Ezra didn’t hesitate. There was no time to hesitate.

The moment he turned, he took the lead. “Follow me, Your Highness.”

He moved fast, his eyes locking onto every faint trace of gold he could find. Each mark was small, almost easy to miss, but to him, it might as well have been a trail carved into the ground.

Behind him, Kaelis followed without question, though Ezra could feel the confusion coming off him.

’Don’t ask.’ Ezra thought, his jaw tightening as he pushed forward. ’Just follow me.’

Fortunately, Kaelis seemed to understand. He didn’t question it, he didn’t interrupt, he didn’t even slow down. He just followed.

And Ezra couldn’t help but feel grateful for that.

’There.’

Another mark.

Then another.

They were spaced out, uneven, but they were there. Enough to follow. Enough to keep going.

Ezra forced himself to stay focused, even as something inside him kept pushing him to do the opposite.

To call out.

To shout Lior’s name until his voice gave out, just like in his nightmare.

’No.’

He clenched his jaw harder.

If he called out, Ricardo would hear.

And if Ricardo heard—

’He’ll run.’

Or worse.

Ezra swallowed, forcing the urge down.

’Lior, my smart and clever boy, did you leave a blood trail on purpose?’

Because the drops weren’t random.

They were placed where they could be seen.

Where someone like Ezra would notice.

And that only made his chest tighten.

Because that meant Lior was thinking.

Thinking while he was hurt.

’You’re bleeding…’

Every step forward felt heavier, like he was dragging something behind him that wouldn’t let go.

“Are you sure this is the right way?” Kaelis asked again, his voice low but firm as he kept pace behind him.

Ezra didn’t answer right away.

He was already moving toward the next mark, his eyes scanning, his breathing uneven.

’It has to be.’

“I—”

His words stopped.

A sound broke through the forest.

Faint, but clear enough.

“PEPPRMINT!”

Ezra froze.

His heart dropped so fast it almost hurt.

That voice—

It was Lior.

Ezra’s head snapped toward the direction of the sound, his whole body going rigid for a split second.

“Did you hear that?” Ezra asked.

“Yes,” Kaelis answered, his eyes widening slightly. “They’re not far.”

They ran.

As fast as they could, and in sync.

No hesitation this time.

“PEPPERMINT!!!”

Another cry.

Louder.

And even more desperate.

Ezra’s chest tightened.

They followed the sound without slowing.

“Why is he yelling peppermint?” Kaelis asked as they ran.

“He’s allergic to peppermint,” Ezra answered quickly.

Well, both Ezra and Lior were allergic to Peppermint; it was one of the things Lior inherited from him.

“Whenever he’s in danger, or feels like he’s in danger, I told him to say peppermint so it wouldn’t be too obvious.”

Kaelis nodded once, his expression shifting.

“Smart,” he said.

Then, more serious now—

“Let’s get him back.”

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