Chapter 323: Repurposed
[I’m sorry for the mix-up with yesterday’s Chapters. I forgot to upload Chapter 321, but the issue has now been resolved, and Chapters will be published as usual. Thank you for all your support!]
Felix’s palace looked substantially less threatening in daylight.
Liam found that disappointing.
He stood outside the security gate with his hands tucked into the pockets of a dark burgundy coat, studying the pale stone building beyond the walls. Long balconies crossed the upper floors beneath carved screens darkened by age. The gardens had been allowed to grow wild during the decades of isolation, shrubs swallowing old paths and climbing plants reaching toward the lower terraces.
Patrol formations still covered the perimeter in thin lines of gold.
Two soldiers checked their authorization despite recognizing Arik immediately.
Liam approved of that.
Arik did not comment.
He stood close enough that the sleeve of his fitted black field coat brushed Liam’s arm whenever either of them moved. His clothing was considerably less ceremonial than what he normally wore outside the imperial residence: black trousers, heavy boots, and a high collar open at the throat.
Apparently escorting Liam into a building that had already attacked him did not qualify as an occasion for decorative embroidery.
Behind them, Severin and Mezos waited with the technical team.
Three days ago, Liam’s identity had been a problem shared between himself, Arik, and an irritating ether-being.
Now Cassian knew.
Severin knew.
Mezos, Kamal, Rubis, and Narissa knew.
Rubis had stared at Liam’s golden eyes for approximately ten seconds before asking whether this changed any ceremonial requirements for the wedding.
Liam still did not know.
Rubis had taken that personally and stormed off to the archive as he needed clarity in his life.
The outer gates opened.
Liam stepped forward.
Arik caught his wrist.
He looked down.
Arik looked toward the palace.
"You stay beside me."
"I was planning to."
"That statement has historically poor reliability."
Liam considered arguing, but he decided the building in front of him weakened his position.
"Fine."
Arik released his wrist only to take his hand instead.
They crossed the grounds together.
The estate had once belonged to one of Goliath’s highest-ranking consorts. Liam could still see the wealth underneath the abandonment. Pale stone paths curved around dry ornamental pools. Old sculptures stood half-hidden beneath vines. The palace itself had been built during Goliath’s reign, elegant without being delicate, its broad portico supported by carved columns integrated with defensive formations.
Liam stopped halfway up the steps.
Arik immediately looked at him.
"What?"
"I’m thinking."
"No."
Liam frowned. "You don’t know what I’m thinking."
"You are looking at the building like property."
That was unfortunately accurate.
Liam looked back at the palace.
"It has excellent potential."
Arik closed his eyes briefly.
Mezos reached them in time to hear that.
"For what?"
"A laboratory."
Mezos looked at the building.
Then at Liam.
"That is a palace."
"It has isolated infrastructure, independent power distribution, extensive below-ground systems, reinforced rooms, and a security perimeter already installed."
Severin came up beside Mezos.
"He has been here less than five minutes."
"I’ve had the plans for weeks."
Arik’s hand tightened around Liam’s.
Liam smiled.
"I want to see the interior before deciding how much needs to be removed."
"Removed," Arik repeated.
"Felix’s modifications."
"That is not what concerns me."
Liam knew.
The entrance had attacked him remotely before he had ever crossed the grounds.
The interior architecture contained passages that did not match the plans.
Felix had altered the estate while he still possessed Goliath’s trust.
And somewhere inside that network had existed a route capable of recognizing Liam through systems separated by several districts.
Arik had agreed to this visit only because Felix’s corruption was gone.
Agreed was possibly generous.
He had personally rewritten the security plan.
The entrance opened as they approached.
No one touched it.
Arik stopped.
Gold immediately appeared beneath the skin of his free hand.
Liam studied the doorway.
"Normal activation?"
Mezos checked the spectrum monitor clipped to his belt.
"So far."
Arik remained unconvinced.
Liam stepped across the threshold with him.
Lights awakened gradually.
Pale stone floors emerged beneath decades of dust. Decorative metalwork ran along the walls, concealing ether conduits installed beneath the original structure. Furniture remained where Felix’s household had abandoned it, preserved by maintenance systems operating at minimum capacity.
Liam turned slowly.
The reception hall alone was large enough for three laboratories.
Possibly four if Rubis never saw the partitioning.
Arik watched his face.
"No."
"I haven’t said anything." Liam said with an expression too innocent to be believable.
"You are measuring walls."
"I do that automatically."
"You still have not decided what you are wearing to our wedding."
Liam looked at him.
That had absolutely nothing to do with Felix’s palace.
Arik apparently disagreed.
"Rubis showed you twelve options yesterday."
"Fourteen." Liam tried to cross his arms over his chest, but Arik didn’t let him go.
"And you rejected all of them."
"I did not reject them. I said I needed time."
"You have had more time to consider converting a traitor’s palace into a laboratory than choosing your wedding clothes."
"The palace has functional specifications."
Arik stared at him.
Liam continued into the hall, still holding his hand.
"Wedding clothing has aesthetic specifications. Those are harder."
Mezos made a suspicious sound behind them.
Severin looked away.
Arik caught Liam around the waist and stopped him before he reached the first interior corridor.
"You will choose something."
"Eventually."
"We are getting married in less than three months."
"I am aware."
"Rubis believes you are avoiding him."
"I am avoiding him."
"At least you admit it."
Liam looked down the corridor.
Old gold formations glowed faintly beneath decorative panels. Somewhere farther inside, the architecture became inconsistent with the original construction.
That interested him considerably more than fourteen variations of ceremonial fabric.
He rested one hand over Arik’s, where it remained around his waist.
"I’ll choose the clothes."
"When?"
"Before the wedding."
Arik’s expression flattened.
Liam kissed his jaw quickly before turning back toward the palace.
Then he smiled.
"Now show me where my laboratory tried to kill me."
Arik’s grip tightened.
"It is not your laboratory yet."
Liam started walking.
"That sounds temporary."