Chapter 97: A Cult.

’Which investigation?’ Ezra thought as he stared at Kaelis, waiting for an answer.

Kaelis looked between Ricardo and Ezra for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh.

“Give us a moment,” Kaelis said, taking the letter from Ricardo’s hand.

“Of course, Your Highness,” Ricardo replied quickly.

He gave an awkward nod and gently ushered his family toward the far corner of the room.

“We’ll just… stay over there.”

The family moved quietly, the children clinging to their mother as they settled against the wall.

Once they were far enough away, Kaelis turned back to Ezra and gestured toward the opposite side of the worn-down living room.

“Let’s talk there.”

His voice was low now.

Controlled.

Ezra frowned but followed him anyway.

’Why is this the first time I’ve ever been alone with Kaelis in a professional setting… and everything is just confusing?’ Ezra thought.

’Or annoying.’

Kaelis being annoying wasn’t new.

Ezra had dealt with that version of him for years.

But this version?

Serious.

Secretive.

Quietly calculating.

That unlocked a whole new level of frustration.

They stopped near a cracked window where the light from outside barely filtered into the room.

Behind them, the family whispered softly among themselves. They looked relieved now that they weren’t alone anymore. The children were even smiling faintly, clinging to their parents.

For a moment, it almost looked peaceful.

Even though the battle was still raging outside.

Ezra turned toward Kaelis.

“What investigation?”

He asked the question again.

Direct.

Kaelis stared at him for a second.

Then he snickered softly.

“Not even pretending to be respectful anymore?”

Ezra tilted his head slightly.

“Do you want me to pretend, Your Highness?”

His tone carried a quiet edge.

Passive-aggressive.

And very intentional.

At this point, Ezra didn’t even care.

Well… not entirely.

He loved being a knight.

That part still mattered.

But now he had Lior.

Even if something happened to his position… even if he somehow got kicked out of the order…

He wouldn’t fall apart over it.

He would still care.

Just not enough to tolerate Kaelis without pushing back.

’Especially not today.’

Kaelis ran a hand through his long silver hair.

Then he laughed.

The sound made Ezra’s eye twitch.

’He’s still laughing?’

“Well, Captain Ezra,” Kaelis said lightly, “fortunately for you, I actually prefer it when you show your true colors instead of biting your tongue.”

Ezra’s eyes widened.

’He knows about that?’

“…However,” Kaelis continued, his tone shifting, “now is not the time for it.”

The humor disappeared from his face.

“What I’m about to tell you is confidential. You already know that much.”

His gaze hardened slightly.

“None of my brothers know.”

He paused.

“Not Aamon. Not even my own order.”

Ezra blinked.

Kaelis continued calmly.

“Only a handful of men I trust are aware of it.”

His eyes flicked briefly toward the door.

“And Razor is not one of them.”

Ezra frowned.

’Not even his own captain?’

“And my father, the king.” Kaelis added quietly.

The words settled heavily between them.

“Do you understand what that means?” Kaelis asked.

Ezra didn’t answer immediately.

“You are not allowed to tell anyone,” Kaelis continued. “You are not allowed to tell Helios.”

His voice sharpened slightly.

“That is an order.”

He paused.

“From me.”

Then he added quietly,

“And from the king himself.”

Ezra froze.

Kaelis studied his face carefully.

“He already spoke to you, didn’t he?” Kaelis said. “About something he wanted you to do.”

Ezra’s mind flashed back immediately.

The throne room.

King Samson’s voice.

Those vague words.

Something for the kingdom.

Something only Ezra could do.

“Yes,” Ezra muttered.

His brows furrowed.

“How did you—”

“I abdicated.”

Ezra blinked.

“What?”

Kaelis leaned back slightly against the wall.

“Long ago,” he said calmly, “I already decided I would abdicate.”

Ezra stared at him.

“But the kingdom doesn’t know that, and neither do my brothers.”

Kaelis shrugged faintly.

“Only my father knows.”

Ezra’s mind struggled to catch up.

“My father asked me to continue pretending to compete for the throne,” Kaelis continued. “He wanted Helios and Aurien to keep pushing themselves, though it’s not like I made a change.”

He looked away for a moment.

“But the truth is…”

His voice lowered slightly.

“My father stopped counting me as a candidate a long time ago.”

Ezra stared at him.

“Why would you do that?”

This time the question came out honestly.

No sarcasm.

Just shock.

Out of all the king’s multiple children, he chose three favorites. Other princes would KILL just to be favored by the king to even fight for the throne.

Kaelis looked at him briefly.

“That’s a conversation for another day.”

He crossed his arms.

“But since then, I’ve been working as my father’s informant.”

Ezra frowned.

“Informant?”

Kaelis gave him a faint smirk.

“And who do you think hears the most secrets in high society?”

Ezra didn’t answer because honestly he didn’t know since he has never been part of high society.

Kaelis lifted a brow.

“Women. Wives, sisters, and daughters.”

The answer hit Ezra like a brick.

He stared.

“So all those women…”

“Yes.”

Kaelis shrugged lightly.

“Most of them are filled with information, but some are more useful than the others…”

Ezra blinked again.

’Wait…’

’He wasn’t just being a rake?’

’He was gathering information?’

“Hold on,” Ezra said quickly. “Your Highness, what does any of this have to do with the investigation?”

Kaelis tilted his head slightly.

“I wanted you to understand the situation first.”

He tapped the folded letter in his hand.

“Now tell me something.”

His eyes locked onto Ezra’s.

“Do you know when the Dark Ones first appeared?”

Ezra frowned.

“No.”

He shrugged slightly.

“They never taught us that part.”

Or…Ezra just didn’t know because of the fact that he never bothered asking.

“The only thing we were trained to do was kill them.”

He hesitated.

“I assumed they’ve been around for generations.”

He gestured vaguely.

“Since they’re just humans who died with strong negative emotions.”

Kaelis shook his head slowly.

“That’s what everyone assumes.”

His voice was quiet.

“But nobody actually says the truth because even we can’t explain.”

Ezra’s stomach tightened slightly.

“They started appearing…”

Kaelis paused.

“…when I was around nine or ten.”

Ezra blinked.

“Wait.”

His eyes widened.

“It hasn’t even been that long?”

Kaelis didn’t answer.

Ezra ran a hand through his hair.

’What the fuck?’

Information kept piling on top of information.

First the abdication.

Then the secret investigation that he still doesn’t know about.

Now this.

Why had no one ever mentioned that the Dark Ones were such a recent phenomenon?

Ezra had grown up far from the regions they attacked.

In fact, Dark Ones only appeared in the streets he lived in when—

He stopped himself.

’…No.’

Ezra frowned.

He didn’t want to finish that thought.

“I’ve spent years trying to figure out why it started.”

Kaelis moved toward the cracked window and looked outside through the narrow opening. His voice was quieter now.

“I’ve had a lot of theories,” he continued. “And I’ve heard even more from researchers who study the Dark Ones.”

He rested a hand against the wooden frame.

“Some believe it’s punishment from Aurethys.”

He shrugged faintly.

“Others say the kingdom was cursed.”

His gaze drifted briefly toward Ezra.

“It’s not the most ridiculous idea.”

He gestured vaguely.

“Our royal bloodline carries magic. You’ve seen it yourself.”

A faint smirk touched his lips.

“Our blood is literally golden.”

Ezra frowned slightly.

’Yeah… that does sound like the start of a curse.’

The more he thought about it, the less absurd it sounded.

Kaelis fell quiet for a moment.

Then he spoke again.

“My theory is different.”

His expression darkened slightly.

Ezra looked at him.

Kaelis turned away from the window.

“My theory is based on years of evidence,” he said slowly. “Witness accounts. Records. Patterns.”

He paused.

“I do believe something like a curse exists.”

Then he shook his head.

“But not in the way people think.”

His eyes met Ezra’s.

“I believe someone started it.”

Ezra blinked.

“Someone?”

Kaelis nodded then tilted his head a bit.

“Well, a group of people.”

His voice lowered slightly.

“A cult.”

Ezra stared at him.

“A cult?” he repeated.

That had not been the direction he expected.

Kaelis gave a quiet huff.

“Oh, that part isn’t even the surprising one, Captain.”

He lifted the folded letter slightly between two fingers.

“The surprising part…”

His eyes sharpened.

“…is where the evidence points.”

Ezra frowned.

Kaelis unfolded the letter slightly.

“Whoever is leading that cult…”

He looked directly at Ezra.

“…is most likely living inside the Sunspire complex.”

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