Chapter 88: My Word?

The noise of the camp faded the farther Ezra walked.

Each step carried him deeper into the trees until the sounds of shouting soldiers and clanking armor dissolved into something quieter. The ground beneath his boots softened with fallen leaves, and the tall trees of Mirevale’s forest closed in around him.

Branches wove together overhead, letting only thin slivers of light slip through.

Soon there was nothing but the rustle of leaves and the distant whisper of wind moving through the canopy.

Ezra continued forward.

’Where are you, idiots.’

Silas had nowhere else to go. Not when the entire camp was busy setting up headquarters.

If the four disgraced knights wanted privacy to deal with him, the woods would be the obvious place.

Ezra slowed his steps.

Then he heard it.

A dull thud.

Another.

A strained grunt.

Ezra’s eyes narrowed.

’Found you.’

The sound brought back an oddly familiar memory.

It was almost exactly how he had found Aurien once.

Alone. Cornered. Surrounded by people who thought they were stronger simply because they had numbers.

Ezra moved quietly between the trees, stepping over roots and fallen branches as the voices grew clearer.

“…useless bastard.”

Another thud followed.

Someone groaned.

Silas.

Ezra stepped closer until the trees thinned enough for him to see.

Four knights stood in a loose circle around a single figure on the ground.

Torren Brightblade.

Caelan Fireholt.

Wulfric Dawnhelm.

Jareth Solvane.

And in the center of them all—

Silas.

Silas was on his knees, one arm wrapped tightly around his stomach as he struggled to breathe. His shoulders trembled with every shallow inhale.

Torren grabbed him by the collar and yanked him upright before shoving him back down.

“You couldn’t even do one simple thing,” Torren snapped.

“We told you to talk to him.”

“You said you were his fan,” Caelan sneered. “That you could convince him.”

“And what happened?”

Silas didn’t answer.

Jareth stepped forward and drove his boot into Silas’s ribs.

“You useless dog.”

Silas coughed harshly, curling slightly as he tried to protect himself.

“I… I tried—”

“Clearly not hard enough.”

Wulfric shoved him again, sending him stumbling sideways.

“You think Captain Aamon would punish us if that Crimson Fae bastard just opened his mouth?” Wulfric spat. “Everyone knows Ezra Belloren is highly favored by that captain.”

Silas shook his head weakly.

“I did ask—”

“And he said no. This is what happens when he let untitled, uneducated fools to do a nobles’ job.”

Torren spat onto the ground beside him.

“Pathetic.”

Another kick came down.

Silas barely managed to lift his arm in time to block it.

Ezra watched for one more second.

That was enough.

’Alright. I’ve had enough of this.’

He stepped out from the darkness of the trees.

His voice cut through the clearing, cold and sharp.

“Why didn’t you approach me yourselves, cowards?”

All four knights froze.

Ezra stepped fully into the open.

His expression was calm.

His gaze moved slowly across each of them before finally settling on Silas.

Silas looked up, stunned.

Ezra tilted his head slightly.

“If you wanted something from me,” he said evenly, “you could have just asked.”

“C-Captain Ezra…” Caelan took a step back, fear written plainly across his face.

“It’s not what it looks like—” Jareth started.

“I’ve been here long enough,” Ezra cut in calmly.

His head tilted slightly, his gaze moving lazily across the four of them.

“If you’re going to lie to me, at least try harder.”

The clearing went quiet.

Ezra’s eyes shifted to Silas.

Silas was still on his knees, breathing unevenly, staring up at him with a mixture of relief and fear.

Ezra studied him for a moment before speaking.

“You’re untitled,” Ezra said plainly. “You became a knight purely because the academy recognized your ability.”

Silas blinked, clearly confused about where this was going.

“That alone means you might be more deserving to stand here than these four fools.”

Torren’s jaw tightened.

“That’s not fair, Captain,” he snapped. “We only tried to do what was right for us. Those assholes were cheating.”

“And instead of acting like knights with integrity,” Ezra replied coldly, “you tried to cheat as well.”

His eyes narrowed.

“And now, instead of taking responsibility for your actions, you’re using your status to beat a member of the frontlines.”

His gaze flicked briefly toward Silas.

A knight who had actually earned the right to stand on the battlefield.

Wulfric suddenly snickered.

He actually snickered.

Ezra blinked once, slightly taken aback by the reaction.

Wulfric glanced at the other three.

“You hear this?” he said with a laugh. “We don’t have to listen to this.”

Ezra raised a brow.

Wulfric continued, his voice dripping with contempt.

“He may have beaten Guy, but we’re still nobles.”

He pointed vaguely in Ezra’s direction.

“He’ll always look down on us and side with Silas. He’ll never understand because he’s untitled too.”

Ezra’s expression hardened.

“Excuse me?”

“Wulfric, what are you—” Caelan started.

But Wulfric kept going.

“Let’s just cripple Silas,” he said casually. “Then we all say Captain Ezra did it.”

The other three froze.

Wulfric looked between them.

“Four nobles against one unstable knight who disappeared for five years,” he continued. “Who do you think they’ll believe?”

Silence filled the clearing.

Then Torren slowly nodded.

“That’s right…”

Jareth swallowed, but the idea was already settling in his head.

“You’re right, Wulfric.”

Ezra stared at them.

’Seriously?’

His hand flexed slightly at his side.

’Did none of you consider the possibility that I could put all four of you on the ground before you even draw your swords?’

The sheer stupidity of their plan almost impressed him.

But before Ezra could respond—

Another voice spoke from behind them.

“What about my word?”

Everyone froze.

It felt as if the air itself had gone still.

’Did… this old man follow me?’

“Why so quiet now?”

Aamon stepped fully into the clearing, his boots crunching softly over the fallen leaves. His arms were still folded, his expression calm as ever, but there was something colder beneath that calm.

Something that made the four knights turn pale.

Ezra watched quietly.

’This won’t be good.’

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