Chapter 148: You…Are…So…BEAUTIFUL….TO MEEEEE

“Whoa, maman. We look amazing!” Lior exclaims in a loud whisper.

Lior wasn’t much of a morning person, and with what had happened before he fell asleep again, it was understandable that he wasn’t in a bright and talkative mood.

He had been quiet earlier, clinging, still shaken in ways he didn’t fully understand.

But now—

Now he was standing in front of the mirror, eyes wide, energy slowly coming back as Ezra helped him get dressed in what seemed like a noble child’s outfit.

As Ezra suspected, the clothes were from one of the countless sons of the king.

They fit perfectly.

A little too perfectly for Ezra’s taste.

And when Ezra got dressed in a very similar-looking outfit, though his wasn’t nearly as fancy as Lior’s, it was fine.

It was enough.

Lior’s, on the other hand—

It was detailed.

Carefully made.

He even had a sash, a belt, and those cute long socks noble children wear, the kind Ezra used to see from a distance, never imagining he’d be dressing his own child in something like it.

Truth be told, Ezra’s heart swelled at the sight.

Lior looked like a proper prince.

Not just dressed like one.

He fit it.

And Lior seemed to notice as well.

“White and gold are really great colors!” Lior says, staring at himself in the mirror, turning slightly like he was trying to see every angle. “I… I look rich! I look like I can boss people around!”

Ezra let out a small chuckle, the sound softer than he expected, as he reached out to fix the flower brooch on Lior’s cravat.

Blue…

Or was it purple?

He adjusted it anyway, making sure it sat properly.

“You also look really, really good, Maman! So pretty!” Lior turns to Ezra, his eyes bright. “Do I look good too?”

“You look…”

Ezra was going to say he did look good.

But then he saw it.

The way Lior looked at him.

The look of genuine excitement.

Happy in a way that felt… fragile.

And suddenly—

An uninvited thought came.

This could’ve been his life.

If Ezra would just tell the truth.

If he revealed that Lior was the son of a prince.

Then Lior wouldn’t have to pretend.

Wouldn’t have to hide his eye color.

He would always be dressed like this.

Surrounded by this.

Belonging here.

“…perfect. You look perfect, little one.” Ezra whispers, placing his hands on both sides of Lior’s cheeks, gently squishing them.

Lior giggled softly.

But Ezra didn’t.

Not really.

Maybe it was because of everything that had been happening.

The pressure.

The secrets.

His and Helios’ argument.

The constant weight of choices he couldn’t take back.

But, Aurethys—

Did Ezra actually start to feel like he was doing Lior a disservice for not letting him know the truth?

The thought sat heavy in his chest.

This life fits him.

It wasn’t even a question.

This was the life that Lior deserved.

But Ezra’s loyalty to Helios…

That hadn’t changed.

Not completely.

Ezra chose Lior to protect, so he chose to work with Kaelis.

But Ezra chose to make sure Helios would be king.

Even if Kaelis abdicated—

Who knows how the king would respond to knowing he actually finally had his first grandchild?

’Helios has been keeping way too many secrets, but that doesn’t change my goals. Helios should—’

“Knock, knock.”

A very familiar voice cuts through his thoughts, followed by two light knocks on the door.

“Kakay!” Lior exclaims immediately, his mood lifting in an instant.

And once Kaelis heard that, he opened the door.

“Are you two done? Father and the great royal majesty doesn’t like to be kept waiting, most especially the great royal majesty, so we should—”

Kaelis stops mid-sentence.

’What?’

Ezra straightened slightly, confusion flashing across his face as he looked at him. “Your Highness?”

Kaelis stared at him.

Just stared.

Completely still.

Like he forgot what he was about to say.

He didn’t even blink.

’Okay, weird.’

“Kakay’s frozen,” Lior points out, tilting his head as he looks up at Ezra.

“Right.” Ezra nods slowly, equally confused as he tilts his head. “Prince Kaelis, is something wrong?”

Besides the fact that Kaelis looked like an absolute idiot right now.

Kaelis finally blinked.

Then cleared his throat, like he was trying to recover from something he didn’t want to acknowledge.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you actually wear something other than variations of your uniform.”

“Okay, so…?” Ezra couldn’t help but ask, raising a brow.

Kaelis stepped closer.

Ezra noticed it immediately.

He had changed, too.

Out of the three of them, Kaelis looked the fanciest.

His long hair was tied into a loose ponytail, strands falling around his face in a way that looked careless, but was definitely intentional.

And yet, even like that—

Kaelis still looked very… solid.

Manly in a way that sharply contrasted Ezra’s softer features.

“You look good,” Kaelis says.

There was no hesitation.

He didn’t even use a teasing tone.

Just—

Straightforward.

Now, Ezra?

Ezra had been called beautiful before.

Too many times.

He hated it at first, but now it was just another Saturday.

It was nothing new.

But the way Kaelis said it…

There was something behind it.

Something darker.

Something that felt…mischievous.

It made his chest tighten.

Made his thoughts stumble for a second.

Made him feel—

A bit flustered.

“Alright then,” Ezra says, trying to brush it off, like it didn’t affect him at all.

But then Kaelis stepped even closer.

Ezra barely had time to react before Kaelis leaned in, voice dropping into a whisper.

“I wouldn’t mind at all if this Ezra came onto me—IM KIDDING!”

Ezra’s fist was already raised before Kaelis could even finish.

Even Kaelis flinched slightly, clearly expecting to get hit.

Well—

He might have.

“I am still a prince, you know,” Kaelis says quickly, taking a step back.

“Act like one so I don’t forget then–”

“Ezra Belloren, Lior, are you two ready?” Sherry’s voice cut through them through the door.

It came at the worst possible moment.

Ezra was still narrowing his eyes at Kaelis, the irritation from earlier not even close to fading. His fist had lowered, but the tension in his shoulders hadn’t.

Kaelis, on the other hand, looked far too relaxed.

Of course he did.

Before Ezra could even answer, Kaelis spoke for him. “We’re all ready, and you can come in.”

Ezra shot him another look.

He didn’t say anything, but it was clear.

“Don’t answer for me.”

It was strange, and Kaelis was probably not even supposed to be there.

The door opened.

“Oh, you’re here, Your Highness.” Sherry was visibly surprised as she stepped inside, her gaze briefly lingering on Kaelis before she composed herself again. “But this is convenient. The king, the queen, and Lady Aurelia are waiting. Please follow me to the garden now.”

Just like that.

It shifted.

Whatever tension was inside the room didn’t matter anymore.

Okay.

Ezra straightened slightly, the weight of what was about to happen settling back into place.

No time to glare at Kaelis anymore.

No time to dwell on what he said.

No time to think about how Lior had looked in those clothes.

Or how right it felt.

Or how wrong it still was.

Or have regrets that Lior couldn’t be a prince.

It was time to face the king.

Ezra exhaled quietly, forcing everything else down where it wouldn’t show.

He looked down at Lior.

The boy stood close to him, small hand brushing against his sleeve like he didn’t want to be too far.

“You ready?”

“Nope.” Lior shook his head.

Ezra blinked.

For a second, he almost smiled.

Almost.

’Same,’ Ezra thought.

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