Chapter 464: The Thought That Won’t Go Away

The bathroom door clicked shut behind him, and somehow that tiny sound seemed ridiculously loud in the otherwise quiet bedroom.

Cherion pulled the towel tighter around himself and tossed it onto the nearest chair without bothering to see if it actually landed there. He started getting dressed, tugging each piece of clothing into place with a little more force than necessary.

Then he started pacing. His feet thumped against the floor with every step as he threw his hands into the air, already gearing up for another round of complaining.

"I mean, seriously! Those archmages are unbelievable!" Cherion scoffed, his voice hushed but dripping with pure disdain. "The absolute nerve of those insufferable magic nerds. They stood there looking so smug, acting like we were speaking gibberish. They didn’t believe a single word out of our mouths!"

He stopped at the foot of the massive bed, running a hand through his hair and tugging at the roots in annoyance.

"At this point, I wouldn’t even be surprised if, after they finally check the hearth stones and realize they are driving the beasts even crazier, they turn around and accuse us!" Cherion let out a harsh, bitter sound from the back of his throat. "They’ll probably say we tampered with the stones ourselves! Like we’re the culprits playing victim just to drag the throne into court politics. Tch. Unbelievable."

He kept grumbling under his breath, turning around to rant toward the bed, only to freeze mid-sentence.

Zarius was lying on his side across the mattress, his head resting comfortably in his hand while his elbow propped him up against the pillows. He had already stripped down to a soft linen shirt, his dark hair messy, and a faint, thoroughly amused smile playing at the corners of his lips as he watched Cherion pace.

Cherion crossed his arms, staring at him. "What is so funny?"

"You," Zarius murmured softly, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "You look adorable when you’re mad."

Cherion groaned, rolling his eyes as he took two steps closer to the bed. "Come on, dude. This is serious stuff here. I appreciate the flirt, but seriously..."

Zarius tilted his head slightly, his eyes sparkling with quiet amusement. "’Dude’?"

Cherion paused, letting out a heavy sigh as he rubbed his forehead. "Oh, man... I really need to teach you some modern words from my world. Maybe drop some rap lyrics while I’m at it, just so you don’t look at me like I’ve lost my mind every time I open my mouth."

"Please do," Zarius said, his smile widening just a fraction as he patted the empty space on the bed beside him. "I’m a diligent student."

"Sure, sure," Cherion muttered, though the tension in his shoulders finally began to thaw.

He slipped off his slippers, climbed onto the mattress, and slid under the heavy down blankets, pulling them all the way up to his chest. He let out a long, shuddering breath as the warmth of the bed sank into his bones.

"Though, not that I’m judging those archmages," Cherion added, his voice dropping into a quieter, more thoughtful tone as he stared up at the ceiling. "I just know we can’t make them our allies. They’re too entrenched in court bureaucracy."

He paused, turning his head on the pillow to look at Zarius. "...Or can we?"

Zarius let out a soft, breathy laugh, reaching over to gently trace his fingers along the side of Cherion’s jaw, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "How about we go to sleep so you and your gorgeous little brain don’t explode from thinking too much?"

Cherion let out a dry, quiet chuckle, leaning his cheek slightly into the touch before shifting onto his back. "Oh, trust me, I’d love nothing more. But ever since I got stranded in this world, my daily schedule has been completely out of whack. Do you know what my number one activity is?"

Zarius raised an eyebrow. "Surprise me."

"Thinking," Cherion said flatly. "Literally just non-stop, endless thinking. Sleeping has been demoted to number two. The hierarchy right now is thinking, sleeping, eating..." He leaned in closer to Zarius’s ear, his voice dropping into a low, husky whisper, "...and f*cking."

Zarius blinked, leaning back an inch with a genuinely confused look on his face. "What was the last one?"

"No, nothing," Cherion said instantly, coughing into his hand to hide a quick smirk. "Forget I said anything."

He rolled onto his side, propping his head up on his hand so he could look down at Zarius’s face. The humor in Cherion’s eyes faded slightly, replaced by a lingering weight of anxiety that hadn’t quite left him all evening.

"Seriously though," Cherion whispered, his gaze searching Zarius’s face. "Aren’t you even a little worried? About what happens if the archmages actually push that narrative to the King? If they tell him the North tampered with the hearth stones to cause trouble?"

Zarius stayed quiet for a moment, his red eyes steady as he met Cherion’s gaze. "Not really," he said softly.

Cherion narrowed his eyes slightly, studying the absolute calm in the prince’s expression. "You sound pretty confident. Seems like King Alderon has a massive soft spot for you." Cherion grimaced slightly as the words left his mouth, unable to hide the faint distaste he felt at the thought of the old ruler.

"For you as well," Zarius pointed out quietly.

Cherion shrugged one shoulder under the blanket. "Probably because my family has been fanatically devoted to the throne for generations. My ancestors basically bled for his lineage."

"Probably," Zarius agreed, his tone light and even. "And that’s a good thing. It means the King knows how to repay that kind of loyalty."

Cherion smiled faintly and nodded, but inside, his thoughts were already spiraling.

Yeah, Cherion thought to himself, staring at the relaxed curve of Zarius’s mouth in the dim light. That’s probably the case for me. Antel’s loyalty is documented in every history book in the realm.

But you?

Cherion’s chest tightened as a cold, sharp realization began to take root in the back of his mind. The King’s fondness for Zarius didn’t feel like the casual favor shown to a loyal border lord or a trusted commander. It was too deep, too protective, and far too personal. It pointed to a whole different reason entirely.

As Zarius reached out to pull the blanket higher over Cherion’s shoulders, Cherion closed his eyes, pretending to settle in for the night. But under the quiet rhythm of Zarius’s breathing, his mind raced in the dark.

If his suspicion about Zarius’s true connection to the crown was right... did King Alderon already know? Or was someone keeping the truth hidden from the king himself?