Chapter 62: Redirecting Their Instincts.

Tension lingered across the field like a storm that had not fully passed.

Ezra’s gaze shifted to Helios.

There it was.

Disappointment.

Not loud. Not explosive. Just a quiet weight behind his eyes.

Helios did not look at Ezra directly. His gaze moved past him, over the men who had nearly drawn blood over pride. Golden light still glowed faintly in his palm as he spoke.

“As much as we appreciate your loyalty,” Helios said, voice firm and stripped of warmth, “I am certain I can speak for my brothers as the eldest.”

The field stilled.

“But right now, we have far greater matters to think about than the throne. If we fail today, there may not be a throne left to fight over. This is not a political dispute. It is a nationwide threat.”

His words did not need force.

They carried it naturally.

Kaelis stepped forward, golden light still resting against his hand.

“Above our roles as potential heirs,” he said evenly, “we are princes who serve this kingdom.”

Ezra resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

’Things were fine until he opened his mouth,’ he thought irritably. ’Why does his voice irritate me even when he’s correct?’

“Before your loyalty to us,” Kaelis continued, gaze sweeping across his order, “prioritize your loyalty to Luxaelis. You have families. Some of you have children. Lovers. Do you truly wish to risk them over rivalry between orders?”

Silence followed.

It was heavier than before.

Some knights lowered their heads.

Others shifted uncomfortably.

Ezra could see it in their expressions. Agreement. Shame. Worry.

But beneath that—

Distrust.

Distrust that the other side would listen.

Ezra exhaled quietly.

’Men have always been thickheaded,’ he thought. ’Add pride. Add rank. Add the fact that most of them are alphas.’

His eyes flicked across the square.

The overwhelming scent of alpha pheromones hung faintly in the air, tension mixing with ego.

’And of course,’ he thought dryly, ’the only one thinking clearly has to be an omega.’

A low hum cut through his thoughts.

“Hm.”

Ezra stiffened.

He could still feel Aamon’s gaze on him.

He did not like that.

“Ezra Belloren,” Aamon called calmly.

Ezra blinked. “Sir?”

“What do you think?”

Confusion flickered across his face.

’I already told him what I think,’ he thought.

But Aamon continued.

“What do you suggest we do to encourage cooperation between the orders? To ensure tomorrow proceeds without internal conflict?”

Oh.

That.

Ezra’s brows furrowed.

’Isn’t the answer obvious?’ he thought. ’He knows it’s obvious. So why is he asking me?’

His eyes narrowed slightly.

’I swear to Aurethys, he’s doing this on purpose.’

“Ezra?” Helios’s voice came softer this time, but no less focused. “What do you suggest?”

Damn it.

All eyes were on him now.

Kaelis.

Aurien.

Ninety knights.

Aamon.

Ezra let out a slow breath.

“I believe the solution is simple,” he said at last.

Aamon tilted his head slightly. “And that is?”

Ezra clasped his hands behind his back.

“It’s–”

· ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

“This is a stupid idea.”

Guy did not even try to lower his voice.

Ezra did not look at him at first. “If it were stupid, the princes and Captain Aamon would not have agreed to it.”

Only then did he glance sideways. “And why are you still here? You were assigned with the second mixed unit.”

Guy folded his arms. “I stayed behind to tell you it’s stupid.”

Ezra inhaled slowly.

’He truly has no sense of self-preservation.’

“As your captain,” Ezra said evenly, “I am ordering you to return to your assigned group.”

Guy didn’t move.

Ezra’s eyes sharpened slightly. “Or do you want to duel again?”

That did it.

Guy’s eyes widened, then narrowed in annoyance. “Hey. Just because I accepted you as our captain doesn’t mean I have to respect you.”

Ezra finally faced him fully.

“And just because you are taller than me,” he replied calmly, “does not mean my foot cannot reach your face.”

Guy went quiet.

For a moment, he looked like he might argue again. His jaw worked. His pride clearly demanded one last comment.

But then he scoffed and turned away.

“Whatever.”

He walked off toward his assigned unit.

Ezra allowed himself the faintest inward smirk.

’Thought so.’

“Well,” a familiar voice said behind him, smooth and amused. “That was interesting.”

Ezra turned immediately.

“Your Highness,” he greeted calmly. “We meet again.”

Aurien smiled.

Up close, his expression was warm again. But the earlier cold authority still lingered beneath it, like steel hidden under silk.

“The way you spoke to Guy,” Aurien said lightly, “gave me chills. It reminded me of the good old days.”

Ezra glanced back toward the knights, watching them reorganize into their new groups.

“I could say the same about you, Prince Aurien,” he replied. “You mentioned you had changed. I believed you. But to see you feared on the field…” He paused. “It nearly moved me to tears.”

Aurien blinked.

“Did you just make a joke?”

Ezra’s mouth twitched faintly. “I try to keep things light when tension rises.”

It was half true.

The other half was less simple.

’I am nervous about whether this will actually work.’

Aurien had changed.

’And I am still adjusting to you.’

Not just in confidence.

There was weight in him now..

And strangely—

It reminded Ezra of Helios.

Not in appearance.

In gravity.

Aurien carried himself with the same quiet authority now. The same ability to silence a field with a single word.

’They seem more like brothers now than ever.’ Ezra thought.

But for some reason, it was making him feel…weird.

He had always dismissed Aurien as gentle to the point of fragility.

Now that judgment feels embarrassingly outdated.

Aurien tilted his head slightly. “You seem more relaxed than before.”

Ezra huffed softly. “Appearances can be deceiving.”

Aurien’s eyes softened.

“Even so,” he said, “I am glad you spoke earlier. Not everyone would.”

Ezra looked away briefly.

’I did not speak for praise,’ he thought. ’I spoke because if this fails, we all die.’

But aloud, he said only, “It was necessary.”

Aurien studied him for a second longer.

Then he smiled again.

The warmer one this time.

“Let us hope your ’stupid idea’ works, Captain,” Aurien said lightly. “Though, for the record, I do not think it is stupid at all.”

Ezra glanced at him, faintly suspicious.

Aurien’s lips curved.

“To reorganize the knights now,” he continued, “and immediately place them in a practice drill where they face us and their captains?”

His golden eyes sharpened slightly.

“You are redirecting their instinct to compete. Instead of clashing with one another, they will measure themselves against us.”

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