Ezra exhaled slowly, staring at the grey screen as it flickered and disappeared. The last message had been sent. Successfully.
Ben was gone now. Ezra closed his eyes, leaning his back against the cold stone wall of the palace corridor. His chest felt tight and Heavy.
Was he happy? Of course not. He wished things just worked out for once without having all the added frustration and exhaustion from failing.
He could have seen Ben just once and spoken to him face-to-face to explain everything properly. Causing him so much pain and guilt was not part of the plan even when he knew it was all his fault.
'Tabitha was right after all.' he sighed.
But the Oracle had been clear.
"It is up to Ben to decide. The prophecy cannot be forced. It can only fulfilled... or abandoned."
Now it all made sense. Ezra wondered how he missed it and tried shoving things down Ben's throat.
Ben had made his choice and Ezra had no other choice but to respect that.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself.
'No time to dwell on this now. There's work to be done.' He steadied himself and peeked into the corridor. It had gone strangely silent over the last minute.
He had a bigger problem to face; The king.
Ezra had seen him heading toward the palace entrance. Directly toward were Tabitha was still holding off the guards.
He had to intervene. He must to get to her before King Ailwin did. Ezra pushed off the wall and broke into a sprint, his boots barely making a sound as he flew down the marble staircase. He could use his teleportation ability and end this all in seconds but he had to be sure the coast was clear. He planned on keeping his awakening a secret, for now.
His head was down. Focused and moving as quietly as possible. As he rounded the corner as quietly as he could, And a hand suddenly shot out of nowhere. Fingers clamped around his throat.
Ezra gasped, his momentum halted instantly. His snapped his eyes up.
It was Ailwin. He stood there, calm as ever with dead eyes and his flaming crown burning softly above his head. Their eyes met and he smiled.
Ezra tried to speak. "Your Highn..."
The king's grip tightened. And then, with a precise strike to the side of Ezra's neck, everything went black.
Ezra's body went limp as he fell slowly to his side. The king caught him effortlessly, lowering him to the ground with surprising gentleness, almost tenderly, like he was putting a child to bed.
For a moment, he just stood there, looking down at Ezra's unconscious form. His jaw tightened and his expression was unreadable. Knocking him out wasn't part of his plans earlier but now he's got to improvise.
Two guards appeared behind him from the shadows, their armor clinking softly as they approached.
"Bag him," King Ailwin said calmly. "...and take him to the dungeon. I'll meet you there."
The guards bowed. "Yes, Your Highness."
They lifted Ezra's body with ease, slinging him over one of their shoulders like a sack of grain, and disappeared down the corridor.
Ailwin watched them go, Then he turned and walked back toward his chambers, his hands clasped behind his back. On the outside, he looked calm. But inside, his thoughts were screaming.
His was greatly baffled. 'Why did it have to be him? Was this the chance I gave him? Damn. I wasn't expecting Ezra of all people to be a traitor. What do I do now?' These thoughts echoed in his head, louder with each step.
A week to the Blood Reaping, he had shown Ezra mercy. Kindness, even.
"You will repay this favor by not failing me." He had said to him, as calmly as he could. He didn't want it to be a threat. No. He would never threaten Ezra.
But he had given Ezra this 'one' chance and opportunity to prove his loyalty. To prove that the Glacial Throne could be trusted again.
And this is what Ezra had done with it?
He'd broken into the palace, disrupted the guards, he'd interfered with the Blood Reaping and most damning of all, he had betrayed the Kingdom of Eryndor.
'Why?'
Ailwin's jaw clenched. He reached his chambers and stopped in front of the door. His hand curled into a fist.
Crack!
He punched the door with so much force the wood splintered with cracks spreading like spiderwebs across the surface of the door. Blood dripped from his knuckles but He didn't notice.
"Why now?!" he roared, his voice echoing down the empty hall. "First the prophecy and now this?!"
His chest heaved. His eyes turned red. His flaming crown flared brighter, burning hot and wild. Ailwin stood there for a moment, breathing hard, staring at the ruined door.
Then he closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down with a deep sigh. The flames gradually dimmed.
His breathing slowed and he straightened his robes, wiping the blood from his knuckles onto the fabric.
'If this prophecy is true and Ben truly is the Bloodless One, then Ezra had just committed treason of the highest order.' he sighed.
'But if he isn't? Then Ezra, I'm sorry but this might just be the most reckless and foolish thing you've ever done. Throwing away everything for nothing.'
Either way, it didn't matter. Ailwin knew what he had to do. He would go to the Oracle and demand answers.
He must confirm whether or not the prophecy was real or it was just another myth roaming around in the Kingdom meant to destabilize his rule.
But first, He turned sharply and headed back down the corridor, his steos echoing in the corridor.
He would have to change a few things and prepare before hand. Before it was too late.
"I know what I must do," he muttered under his breath. "I have to be two steps ahead. Always."
And he stormed downstairs.