Chapter 80: I’m Here Too.

“That case…” Helios exhaled slowly. “…it came to me around the time the old Sunward Sentinels were leaving one by one. And Alyce stayed in the kingdom for a few months.”

His steps slowed as he spoke. Subtly. Almost without thinking.

His hold on Ezra tightened just slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to feel.

“I wasn’t getting anywhere with it,” Helios continued. “And…”

He stopped.

He hesitated.

Ezra watched him closely.

’And?’

He didn’t interrupt. Didn’t push. Helios was clearly thinking through something he didn’t usually say out loud.

Helios drew in a quiet breath.

“The case is complex,” he said finally. “Layered. Hidden. Even after months of overseeing it, I had no solid leads.”

Ezra frowned faintly. That was unlike Helios. He was meticulous. Patient. Strategic.

“Kaelis,” Helios continued, “as much as I love my brother, is rarely serious about matters like that.”

Ezra almost scoffed.

“That is a polite way to put it,” he muttered.

Helios ignored the comment.

“But he became involved with a widow,” Helios said evenly. “She had lost her child.”

Ezra’s attention sharpened immediately.

’Seriously? Using a grieving woman’s weakness–’

“–She trusted him,” Helios added. “And she told him things she had not told anyone else. She gave him names. Faces. Descriptions of the men she saw take her son.”

Ezra’s eyes widened.

’Direct testimony?’

From a victim?

For once, Kaelis’ scandalous reputation had worked in their favor.

“I had heard he gained leads,” Ezra admitted quietly. “But not like that.”

Helios nodded once.

“He was… invested,” Helios said, choosing the word carefully. “More than I have ever seen him.”

There was no mockery in his tone. No jealousy. Just acknowledgement.

“And at that point,” Helios went on, “whether I wanted to admit it or not, I knew the case would move faster with him.”

Ezra swallowed.

“So you handed it over,” he said.

“Yes.”

There was no defensiveness in Helios’ voice.

“I simply…” Helios paused again, then looked down at Ezra. “…am not the person you try to paint me as.”

Ezra blinked. “What does that mean?”

Helios held his gaze.

“You know what it means,” he said quietly. “You have always placed me on a pedestal.”

“That’s not—”

“It is.” Helios interrupted, not harshly, but firmly. “Since we were younger. You act as though I am incapable of misjudgment. As though I must always be the most competent one in the room.”

Ezra opened his mouth.

Closed it.

’It’s true though,’ he thought. ’Helios is the perfect prince, everyone used to think so, he—’

Helios continued walking, voice softer now.

“I am not infallible, Ezra. I struggle. I fail. I hesitate.”

Ezra felt something twist in his chest.

“I did not step away just because you left,” Helios added quietly. “I stepped away because I was not progressing. And because my brother was.”

That landed differently.

Before Ezra could respond—

“Helios—”

“Captain Ezra! Your Highness—”

Another voice cut through the air, bright and slightly breathless.

They both turned toward the palace entrance.

Fizzy stood there, eyes wide.

He looked between them.

Then on the way Helios was carrying Ezra.

His mouth opened.

“…Am I… interrupting something?”

’You were,’ Ezra thought, almost bitterly.

He looked at Helios.

Helios met his gaze for a brief second, something unreadable passing through his eyes, before he finally bent his knees and lowered Ezra carefully to the ground.

Ezra’s boots touched stone again.

Solid.

Safe.

Embarrassingly relieved.

“No, you’re fine, Fizzy,” Helios said smoothly, as if nothing had just happened. “Ezra slipped a little. I carried him. Like the last time.”

Fizzy’s eyes widened instantly.

“Oh. Right. When Captain Ezra was unconscious.”

Ezra blinked. “Why does everyone except me remember this?” he muttered under his breath.

No one answered that.

He straightened his uniform, smoothing imaginary wrinkles as if reclaiming whatever dignity he had left.

Then he turned to Fizzy.

“Why were you looking for us?”

Fizzy shifted slightly, rubbing the back of his head. “Lior has been looking for you.”

Ezra’s posture softened immediately.

“He’s been getting worried,” Fizzy continued. “I told him I would come find you. I’m afraid he might burst into tears any minute now if you don’t return. He said you’ve never been gone this long.”

Right.

Ezra’s chest tightened.

’Of course he would worry.’

He had never been away from Lior for an entire day. Not like this. Not without telling him properly.

Though, Ezra didn’t expect the meeting would last the whole day.

“I understand,” Ezra said quietly. “I will go to him now.”

“And also,” Fizzy added, glancing between them, “Prince Helios. Princess Alyce is waiting for you in the drawing room.”

Both Ezra and Helios looked at him at the same time.

“She’s here?” Ezra thought, eyes flicking toward Helios before he could stop himself.

Helios frowned slightly. “It is late. Why is she here?”

“Apparently she wishes to speak with you. And stay the night. The maids are preparing her room. Your butler is waiting.”

Helios exhaled slowly.

“Very well.”

There was no visible emotion on his face. Just duty settling back into place.

“Ezra,” Helios said, tone returning to something composed, “I will see you tomorrow. Inform Lior. Prepare his things. Fizzy will accompany you.”

“Going?” Fizzy blinked. “Where?”

“We will discuss it later,” Ezra said automatically, though he had not yet decided anything.

He looked back at Helios.

“You should go, Your Highness,” he said, the title slipping back into place like armor. “Princess Alyce is waiting.”

He kept his voice steady.

Neutral.

Even.

’This is fine,’ he told himself. ’This is how it has always been.’

Helios needed Alyce.

Alyce was the perfect princess for him. Graceful. Suitable. Powerful. Politically ideal.

Ezra had known that for years.

It did not make it hurt any less.

Every single time.

He forced a small, polite smile.

“Good night, Prince Helios.”

And this time, he did not look back.

“Good night, Ezra.”

Fizzy looks in between them. “I’m here too.”

Which makes Ezra give him an ’Are you serious?’ look.

But Fizzy just shrugs.

“Let’s just go. We need to prepare for tomorrow, and don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it on the way.”

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