#what phaya said after that is what he needed to hear to put aside his fear and rationality and to let his heart finally take over

[disenchanted-youth]

This broke my heart. The blame can't be placed on the usual skepticism about romances, like we often see with characters on screen. Because it's the truth. If Tharn acts on his love, the consequence is death for that person.

Chalothon's words made it clear that he is willing to do anything, including killing someone or even Tharn himself, to ensure that no one takes Tharn away from him. Although Tharn is unaware of the doctor's involvement, he knows something is after him. He has known that his whole life. And he knows that something has been trying to kill Phaya, too.

I absolutely adored the parallels they established between the artist and his lover with Phaya and Tharn. Tharn was forced to look at love throughout the investigation and not push it away like he usually tries to do. And Phaya brought him to his house at precisely the right time. He got to be surrounded by more love and warmth, making him waver more. Because undeniably Phaya stirs up intense feelings in him. Tharn's love for Phaya is incredibly deep, even though he doesn't realize it, spanning lifetimes, deepening his fear of losing him. He also knows that he doesn't have enough strength to keep resisting the pull they feel towards each other. Which is why this sentence hit me hard. You can see he wants it, just as bad as Phaya, but he can't love.