Chapter 154: The Suspects.

’Don’t tell me Helios is an actual suspect?’ Ezra thought, sensing something strange in the air.

There was a shift.

It was subtle.

But it was there.

With Samson looking at Kaelis as if he was upset, even though the whole time he had been smiling and amused, no matter what was said.

Yet when Kaelis mentioned the suspects, Samson looked upset that he even brought it up in front of Ezra.

Now…

When Kaelis told Ezra that nobody knew except a handful of people, and everyone in the palace was a suspect, he didn’t think Helios would actually be one of them.

Helios loved Luxaelis.

This kingdom was his whole life.

He wouldn’t do anything to destroy a kingdom he worked so hard to protect, and for what reason—

“I was hoping you wouldn’t say that, Kaelis,” Samson says directly, making both Ezra and Kaelis pause.

The tone was different this time.

Less amused.

More…serious.

“It’s a crucial part of the investigation, father,” Kaelis said with a frown. “Just because—”

“Ezra Belloren is smart. He might even be smarter than the two of us combined,” Samson says, cutting him off.

Ezra’s eyes widened.

That—

That was too much.

“Your Majesty, that’s not—” Ezra was about to interject, his voice catching slightly.

“No, it is true. I have an eye for knowing the truth, you know, and the truth is you are smarter than you think you are, and I’m sure you know you’re smart, but… It’s beyond that.”

Samson says it plainly.

Not exaggerated.

Not exaggerated enough to sound like flattery.

It felt like a statement.

A conclusion.

Ezra didn’t know how to react.

Considering the king of Luxaelis himself was saying this.

Ezra was flabbergasted but…

’I don’t think I deserve that high praise.’ He thought, his chest tightening slightly.

“Because of that, now that we have you involved, I want a new perspective. Indeed, we have a list of suspects based ONLY on motives,” Samson says. “But the thing is, I believe you, yourself, can provide your own list of suspects.”

“Provide his own list?” Kaelis asks, confused.

’I’m also confused,’ Ezra thought, blinking slightly.

“What I mean is, I want him to actively try to figure out who could be the suspects, without knowing who is on our list, or their motives, because I want to see if Ezra’s own list would match with ours.”

“Oh,” Ezra says, his eyes widening a bit more.

It clicked.

Slowly.

’Doesn’t that just seem like more work?’ Ezra thought, though he understood the logic behind it.

If Ezra reached the same conclusions—

Then that meant something.

That meant their suspicions weren’t just guesses.

“That sounds reasonable, Your Majesty,” Ezra forces a small smile, even if he still feels a bit overwhelmed. “Uh… where do I start?”

“That depends on you, and Kaelis.” Samson smiles at Kaelis. “I leave it all to you. The fate of the kingdom rests on both of your shoulders now.”

The words settled more heavily than anything said before.

Ezra felt it immediately.

’That’s… a lot,’ he thought, trying to keep his expression steady.

Kaelis nods slowly, letting out a quiet sigh. “Okay, Father. Understood.”

“As for the child…” Samson looks at Lior, who tensed up instantly. “…do you have any other safety plans?”

Lior instinctively leaned closer to Ezra.

“Safety plans?” Ezra asks, his attention snapping back.

“Lior is a target now, and with the risk that the cultists have insiders, or maybe they’re from here within the palace, there are a lot of people we’re not sure we can trust,” Samson explains. “At this point, you need to think about the child’s safety as well. No one but us is to be trusted.”

Ezra’s grip on Lior’s shoulder tightened slightly.

Not enough to hurt.

Just enough to ground himself.

“Then, I will think about it and then let you know, Your Majesty.”

· ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

“Is Kakay not coming with us?” Lior asks.

Both Ezra and Lior were on their way to their carriage that the king had prepared for them.

After a long talk with the king, he was finally let go, allowed to go back and rest.

Ezra could feel the exhaustion settling into his body now that everything was over, the kind that made his shoulders feel heavier with every step.

“He has to speak with the king privately, maybe he wants to ask how his father is doing,” Ezra says, holding onto Lior’s hand as they walk, his grip steady without thinking about it.

“They don’t have… uhm… they’re not like us?” Lior whispers, blinking his eyes as he looks up at Ezra.

“What do you mean, Lior?” Ezra asks, a bit confused as he glanced down at him.

“They don’t hug? The king doesn’t squish Kakay’s face. They don’t talk like us. They are more like enemies or friends,” Lior says with a sad tone.

Ezra’s eyes widened a bit at that, the words landing more directly than he expected, then he let out a small chuckle.

“Well, I guess they do have a bit more distant relationship, but that’s just how it is in royalty, Lior. They prioritize the kingdom, the rules, the customs, more than, well, family. They don’t have time to squish and hug because they had to grow up quickly.”

Even as he said it, it didn’t feel like a good explanation.

It was just the whole truth.

“That’s sad.” Lior takes a deep breath. “I don’t think I want to be part of royalty ever. I don’t want to become king.”

“Pft. Fortunately for you, you wouldn’t have to.” Even if Ezra had to kill or abandon everything.

Lior would never be part of the royal family.

The thought slipped in quietly, but it stayed.

Lior hums, accepting the answer without question.

As they neared the exit of the palace, Ezra sighed in relief that they were one ride away from getting home.

The doors looked closer now, and with it, the promise of quiet, of being away from everything that had just happened.

Ezra didn’t even want to think about the conversation with the king and Kaelis, or the investigation.

His body was exhausted, and the moment he let himself think about it, he knew he would feel even more drained.

He wanted to cuddle with Lior and sleep.

’I just need things to be peaceful now, and think about whatever tomorrow.’

At least a few hours of no trouble, of no stress, nothing—

“Oh, it’s you.”

Ezra stops walking when he hears a female voice.

It wasn’t unfamiliar, but it wasn’t familiar either.

It was just enough to make him pause, just enough to make his chest tighten slightly before he even turned.

He had to look.

Slowly, he turned to see who it was.

And then his heart almost jumped out of his chest when he saw her.

“P–” Ezra actually felt like it was hard to breathe right now. “Princess Alyce.”

· ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

“Why didn’t you tell him the truth, father?” Kaelis leans back on his seat with a disapproving look on his face.

There was no attempt to hide it this time.

The frustration sat plainly in his expression, his gaze fixed on Samson as if he was trying to understand something that didn’t make sense.

“Don’t look at me that way, Kaelis. If not your father, I am still your king,” Samson says, though it was a serious statement, his tone carried a hint of humor, like he wasn’t fully taking Kaelis’ reaction to heart.

“Father…” Kaelis sighs, dragging a hand down his face briefly before letting it fall.

It wasn’t a time to joke. He couldn’t believe Samson would lie to Ezra and make up something about wanting Ezra to create his own suspect list.

“Instead of just focusing on our suspects, we have to start from zero with Ezra because of what you said.”

There was a pause.

Samson didn’t respond immediately.

He simply watched him.

“Do you think he will take too long?” Samson asks, tilting his head slightly, his tone light, but his eyes sharp, making Kaelis freeze just a bit. “Do you think he won’t be able to find answers quickly?”

Kaelis hesitated.

Only for a second.

“No. No, I don’t think so.”

That wasn’t the issue.

Not at all.

“Then why are you upset? Indeed, that wasn’t our original plan, but it was an idea I had that made sense to me,” Samson says, leaning back slightly, completely at ease. “I am sure Ezra Belloren will do well.”

’It’s not that I don’t think he will do well… it’s just…’

Kaelis didn’t finish the thought.

He couldn’t.

Because the problem wasn’t Ezra’s ability.

It was something else entirely.

“Besides,” Samson says, taking a sip of his tea, his movements unhurried. “Would he cooperate if he found out one of the few suspects we have on our list is my own son, and the man who saved his life? And the other is his mentor, who practically raised him?”

The words settled heavily between them.

Kaelis didn’t respond right away.

Because the answer came immediately.

No.

No, Kaelis didn’t think Ezra would.

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