The Omega Knight's Secret Baby Daddy is A PRINCE?!

Chapter 217: Ezra’s Task.

"Thanks for the lift," Ezra tells the coachman from the Solar Palace, who tips his hat respectfully in return.

"Just send word if you need me again, Captain," the coachman says kindly before taking hold of the reins again and guiding the horse away.

And just like that, Ezra was left standing at the entrance of Helios’ palace.

Alone.

With dread slowly settling heavier inside his chest the longer he stared at the familiar place.

The palace looked exactly the same.

Beautiful.

Quiet.

Elegant in the way Helios always preferred things to be.

Nothing had changed, not that he expected anything to change in just almost a week of moving.

There was one thing that changed though.,

’...I used to be so excited seeing Helios.’

Ezra remembered it clearly now that he stood here again.

All his days used to revolve around looking forward to Helios.

Looking forward to talking to him.

Seeing him smile.

Hearing him praise Ezra for something small.

Even after returning to Luxaelis, one of the things Ezra looked forward to most was seeing Helios again.

That familiar comfort.

That familiar warmth.

But now?

Now all Ezra wanted to do was turn around and leave.

Go back to Lior.

Back to somewhere safe.

But he couldn’t.

This was one of his two tasks for the day.

And more importantly, it was for the investigation.

Which meant this visit was necessary.

Painfully necessary.

"So I just have to pretend I’ve forgiven him and that we’re back to normal," Ezra mumbles quietly to himself.

It sounded simple in theory.

Easy even.

But Ezra had always been the type of person who treated others based on what he knew about them and what they showed him.

And maybe his judgment over the years hadn’t always been accurate but—

He wanted to fix that now.

Starting with Helios.

Because the truth was terrifyingly simple.

All romantic feelings Ezra ever felt disappeared within a single day.

Years worth of longing.

Affection.

Admiration.

Gone.

And somehow that realization unsettled Ezra more than anything else.

Even finding out Helios loved him...

Even learning that everything Helios did may have stemmed from that love...

It only made Ezra feel disgusted now.

Because what Helios called love felt cruel.

Possessive.

Manipulative.

And that was how quickly Ezra’s feelings toward someone could change once trust shattered completely.

Even for someone like Helios.

No amount of trauma or manipulation could erase the values Ezra built for himself over the years.

Especially not after realizing there was a chance Helios planned his pregnancy against his will.

And worse—

That Helios may have been willing to put Lior in danger too.

That alone made it unforgivable.

Completely unforgivable.

And though part of Ezra still mourned the friendship they once had...

The kindness Helios showed him...

That version of Helios felt dead now.

Dead and gone.

But now Ezra had to pretend things were still alive between them.

And that—

"Ezra?"

A familiar voice suddenly calls out.

Ezra immediately looks up.

And he had to physically stop himself from cringing at the sound of it now.

The soft, almost affectionate way Helios always said his name.

Once upon a time, it used to make Ezra’s chest flutter.

Now it almost made him feel sick.

But Ezra forces a smile onto his face anyway.

’You’re happy. You’re glad. You’re delighted,’ Ezra repeats firmly inside his own head as he starts walking closer.

Every step felt strangely heavy.

"Helios," Ezra says with a small wave.

Helios looked stunned.

Actually stunned.

Like he genuinely couldn’t believe Ezra was smiling at him again.

And for a second, something painfully hopeful flickers across Helios’ face.

Which only makes Ezra feel worse somehow.

Because once upon a time, seeing Helios look at him like that would have made Ezra happy too.

Now all Ezra could think was—

’How much of this was real?’

"I wasn’t expecting you," Helios says with a small exhale of breath, like relief escaped him before he could stop it. "I thought—"

"I came here because you’re still my friend."

Not really.

"And I want to work it out."

No, he doesn’t.

"I realized that I was being too selfish and unreasonable."

He wasn’t though.

Every single thing Ezra was saying right now was a lie.

Carefully crafted lies.

Lies specifically meant for someone like Helios.

Because according to Kaelis, Helios wouldn’t even question it.

Helios would simply assume Ezra "came to his senses."

And honestly, Ezra didn’t want to believe Helios was truly that narcissistic despite everything that happened but—

Helios smiles.

A big smile.

Bright.

Genuinely happy.

Like the tension that had been weighing on him for days suddenly disappeared.

"I’m glad," Helios says softly as he lifts a hand and gently places it against Ezra’s cheek.

Ezra almost flinches.

Now that he thought about it, Helios really did touch him often.

His cheek.

His hair.

His hands.

Small affectionate gestures Ezra once found comforting.

Now all Ezra could think about was ownership.

Possession.

"You don’t have to apologize," Helios continues gently. "It’s my fault for not telling the truth, but I’m glad you still came to your senses about who is really there for you."

Ezra almost stared at him.

’I don’t think I was insinuating that I wanted to apologize.’

Actually, Ezra suddenly wanted to grab Helios’ wrist and punch him straight in the face.

Because what was that supposed to mean?

The audacity of acting like Ezra simply "returned" to him after temporarily being confused—

No.

Ezra forces himself to calm down before his expression slips.

He had to act happy.

Act trusting.

Act loyal.

This wasn’t about pride anymore.

This was for the kingdom.

For Lior.

"I’m grateful for you, Helios," was all Ezra could manage to say instead.

And even saying that made him feel horrible now.

Because a part of him mourned the fact that once upon a time, those words would’ve been sincere.

Helios’ smile softens immediately at the response.

"You’re just in time," Helios says warmly as he finally lowers his hand from Ezra’s face. "I was going to meet with the Sentinels today for a meeting about upcoming missions."

Then Helios looks directly at him again.

"I need my Captain with me."

Ezra pauses slightly at that.

That was...convenient.

Because Ezra also needed to meet with the Sentinels today anyway as part of the investigation.

Which meant he could observe Helios more closely without seeming suspicious.

’Good.’

"Of course," Ezra says with another practiced smile. "I will always be your Captain."

Always.

Meaning right up until Ezra proved Helios created the Dark Ones.

And if that day came—

Then Ezra himself would personally watch Helios fall.