Chapter 41: The Challenge.

A street rat.

It had been a long time since anyone dared to call Ezra that. Long enough that the word felt almost foreign now, like something pulled from a life that no longer existed.

After he proved himself, his past had been quietly erased.

Or maybe it was simply ignored. Either way, people stopped seeing the boy who crawled his way up from nothing and started seeing the prince’s right hand.

The captain.

The blade that stood beside Helios.

But now that he had been gone?

It seemed to have given some men the audacity to dig up old bones.

Ezra’s bones.

“Suddenly quiet?” Guy asked, snickering. “You were so confident earlier. But being called a street rat shut you up that fast?”

Ezra didn’t answer.

His jaw tightened just enough to ache.

His hand twitched at his side, muscle memory screaming for steel.

For the clean certainty of a blade. For the relief of ending this man’s voice permanently.

’I could kill you in less than a breath,’ Ezra thought coldly. ’And everyone here knows it.’

But he didn’t move.

Not now.

He forced the impulse down, buried it beneath years of discipline. Letting Guy see even a flicker of loss would only feed him.

Guy mistook the silence for weakness.

“I surpassed you,” Guy continued, voice rising with confidence. “You know I did. In four years, I nearly reached your kill count, and you were on the field far longer than I ever was.”

He scoffed, shaking his head. “If it weren’t for your friendship with His Highness, and his strange loyalty to you, you wouldn’t even be standing here.”

A few knights shifted uncomfortably.

Guy pressed on.

“If you actually cared about what’s right,” he said, stepping closer, “you’d be the one convincing him to give me the captaincy. You could go back to wherever you’ve been hiding all these years and let the Sunward Sentinels thrive.”

For a moment, Ezra almost smiled.

Because Guy wasn’t wrong about one thing.

Ezra had thought about it. He had wanted to find Helios a replacement. Someone strong enough. Someone capable.

Someone who would let Ezra leave with Lior and never look back.

’I wanted to disappear,’ Ezra admitted to himself. ’With Lior…but after everything I found out yesterday…’

Before Guy could open his mouth.

“Hah.”

The sound escaped Ezra before he could stop it. It was soft, but mocking.

Guy froze.

His eyes widened just a fraction, clearly not expecting that reaction.

Ezra lifted his head, finally meeting Guy’s gaze again.

Challenging him more now.

“If you were doing so well,” Ezra said lightly, “then why has Prince Helios fallen out of favor?”

The air snapped tight.

Not just Guy. Everyone went silent.

Ezra could see it ripple through the ranks. Knights exchanging glances. Brows knitting. Doubt creeping in where pride had been moments before.

“The kingdom is drowning,” Ezra continued, voice steady. “More Dead Ones than ever before. Entire regions destabilized. Children are being kidnapped. Fear spreading faster than orders can suppress it.”

He stepped forward.

One step.

Then another.

Until he stood directly in front of Guy.

Ezra raised a finger and pressed it firmly against Guy’s chest. Not hard. Not threatening.

Just enough to make a point.

“As far as I know,” Ezra said quietly, “no one has figured out why.”

Guy’s jaw tightened.

“So tell me,” Ezra went on, eyes sharp as glass, “what exactly have you achieved as ’captain’ besides stacking dead bodies?”

He let the word hang.

“Where is the stability?” Ezra asked. “Where are the answers? Where is the loyalty that doesn’t rely on intimidation?”

He leaned in just enough for Guy to hear him alone.

’Strength without direction is just violence,’ Ezra thought. ’And you’re drowning in it.’

Ezra straightened, shoulders squared.

“Dead Ones kill counts impress boys,” he said calmly. “Not leaders.”

The words landed without force, without heat, and somehow that made them heavier.

“The only reason I even ask for those numbers,” Ezra continued, voice steady, almost bored, “is because they’re the bare minimum I need to hear. Not because they matter, but because I don’t care for any other senseless things you might try to impress me with.”

Ezra could feel it shift.

Not just the air.

Not just the tension.

The people.

The knights behind Guy were no longer looking at him like an intruder or a relic from the past. Their gazes had sharpened. Some thoughtful. Some are uncertain.

Some were starting to quietly agree.

’Good,’ Ezra thought. ’You’re listening now.’

He had won the mind game. He knew it. Guy knew it too.

And Guy hated that.

“You left,” Guy said suddenly, louder now, grasping for ground. “You walked away. You abandoned this order.”

Ezra didn’t flinch. “I took a vacation.”

For a heartbeat, there was silence.

Then Guy laughed, sharp and incredulous. “A vacation?” He scoffed. “What kind of knight takes a vacation?”

“…”

Ezra didn’t have an answer for that.

“You’re not what the Sunward Sentinels need anymore,” Guy pressed on, voice rising with frustration. “You don’t even act like an Alpha. For Aurethys’ sake, calling you a beta would be generous.”

A few knights stiffened.

Guy’s lips curled. “You seem more like a little omega.”

Silence fell again.

Not Ezra though.

“Pfft…”

He laughed.

Not a short laugh. Not a polite one.

“Hahahahahaha.”

A full, unrestrained laugh that echoed across the training grounds.

“Pfft…hahaha…hahaha!”

It caught everyone off guard.

Guy blinked. “What’s so funny?” he snapped. “Have you finally lost your mind?”

Ezra wiped at the corner of his eye, still smiling as he tilted his head. “Oh, nothing,” he said lightly. “I was just thinking how this conversation would never end.”

Guy scowled. “What are you talking about?”

“You,” Ezra replied simply. “You’re pig-headed. Loud. And so convinced of your own strength that you mistake it for authority. You will attack anything, use every angle to try to win.”

Guy bristled. “Watch your mouth. I am a Man.”

Ezra’s smile softened into something dangerous.

“So you’ve said.”

Though, Ezra wanted to laugh some more because was Guy trying to prove he was a man or was he saying he was part of the ’Man’ family again?

Either way, hilarious.

But he had to be more serious now.

“You’re right about one thing,” Ezra continued. “I’m not what you want.”

Guy folded his arms. “Finally, something we agree on.”

Ezra took one slow step forward.

“But you don’t get to decide what this order needs.”

Guy opened his mouth.

Ezra didn’t let him speak.

“So let’s stop talking,” Ezra said evenly. “Because clearly, words aren’t going to reach you.”

Guy’s eyes narrowed. “What are you suggesting?”

Ezra met his gaze without blinking.

“I’m challenging you.”

“What?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep