Ezra was dumbfounded.
Truly.
For a brief moment, he had no words.
He simply stared at Aurien's smiling face.
Ezra wasn't—
He didn't—
He…
Yes. No.
He had no idea what was happening inside his own head.
It felt as if his thoughts had scattered, as if something had quietly switched off in his mind. And it did not help that Aurien was still looking at him, calm and patient, as though waiting for a response.
Any response.
But Ezra had long mastered the art of composure.
Surprise. Discomfort. Anger. None of it showed unless he allowed it to.
It had been drilled into him.
Control your expression. Control your breathing. Control the narrative.
It was useful.
Very useful.
Right now, it was the only thing saving him.
'I need to say something,' Ezra thought. 'If I stay silent any longer, I will look like an idiot.'
Ignoring him would be worse.
Especially when Aurien did not look teasing.
He looked sincere.
And that was the problem.
It would be easy to brush off a joke.
