30. Thyros #2
The palace rose around us in layered towers of black crystal and silver-veined stone, each spire curved toward the stars like blades forged for gods.
Rivers of luminous energy flowed beneath the translucent floors, pulsing softly through the structure like veins carrying celestial fire.
Above us, enormous rings rotated slowly around the tallest towers, covered in glowing symbols older than most civilizations.
And the stars… the palace had been designed to embrace them. Open terraces floated unsupported through the air while silver trees swayed beneath drifting nebula light. Water cascaded upward through channels carved into obsidian walls before dissolving into glowing mist high above.
It was excessive. Magnificently excessive. And I suddenly enjoyed it far more through Naeris' eyes. She slowly turned in a circle beside me.
“This is your palace?”
I folded my arms behind my back with what I considered appropriate dignity. “It has its charms.”
Her head snapped toward me.
“Charms?” She gestured wildly at the towering structures around us. “Thyros, this thing is larger than entire cities.”
A grin pulled at my mouth before I could stop it. “I may have overcompensated slightly.”
“Slightly?”
Her voice echoed through the vast entrance hall as we stepped inside. The ceiling stretched impossibly high above us, alive with moving constellations and drifting galaxies. Ancient Arkhevari statues lined the walls, warriors frozen mid-battle with swords raised toward the stars.
Naeris pointed upward. “Your ceiling has an entire cosmos in it.”
“It’s relaxing.”
She laughed softly under her breath. By the stars, that sound still affected me like a direct strike to the chest.
“Do you live here alone?” she asked.
I looked down at her. Not anymore. Warm satisfaction spread through me at the immediate flush rising across her cheeks. Beautiful female.
Mine.
We walked deeper into the palace while she continued staring around herself in open disbelief.
Every chamber we passed only seemed to worsen her astonishment.
Crystal gardens floated between hallways.
Ancient weapons hovered inside suspended fields of silver light.
Massive panoramic windows overlooked endless stars and drifting moons.
She stopped abruptly before enormous silver doors etched with celestial maps. “How many rooms are in this place?”
I considered briefly. “Thirty bedrooms.”
Her eyes widened. “Thirty?”
“Thirty-two bathrooms.”
She turned toward me in visible horror. “What possible reason does one male need for thirty-two bathrooms?”
I shrugged lightly. “One never knows when thirty-one may become occupied.”
Her laughter burst through the corridor like music. The sound hit me with unexpected force. For millions of years, this palace had been silent. Now it felt alive.
“Four dining halls,” I continued helpfully. “Seven libraries. Three war rooms. Two observatories.”
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “You’re making these up now.”
“An indoor forest.”
Her mouth dropped open. “There is not an actual forest inside this palace.”
“There are several waterfalls, too.”
“Thyros.”
I lost the battle against my grin entirely. Stars, I loved teasing her. But then she stopped walking and looked around more carefully. At the enormous halls. The empty rooms. The impossible scale. And something in her expression softened. “You built all this because you were lonely.”
The words struck deeper than I expected. I could have deflected. Could have hidden behind arrogance or humor. But after everything we had survived together, I found I no longer wanted to hide from her.
“Yes,” I admitted quietly. "But I actually didn't build it. It was already built. I simply chose it."
Silence settled between us. Not uncomfortable. Heavy. The bond pulsed softly, carrying her emotions directly into me. Sadness. Affection. Love so fierce it still startled me every time I felt it.
She stepped closer slowly and touched my face. “You don’t have to be lonely anymore.”
By all the supernovas. The tenderness in her voice nearly brought me to my knees. I covered her hand with mine immediately, needing the contact like air itself.
“No,” I murmured. “I don’t.”
For one dangerous moment, I nearly kissed her right there in the middle of the corridor. Instead, I straightened slightly.
“Now,” I announced with considerably more confidence than I felt, “allow me to show you my lair.”
She snorted immediately. “Your lair?”
“You’ll see.”
I led her upward through the private levels of the palace, far above the grand ceremonial halls and war chambers below.
The architecture changed subtly the higher we climbed.
Less formal. More personal. The lights dimmed into softer silver hues while transparent floors revealed drifting galaxies far beneath our feet.
Naeris paused several times simply to stare downward. “This place feels unreal.”
“It did before you arrived.”
The words escaped before I could stop them. She looked at me instantly. Emotion flashed across her face so openly that my chest tightened painfully. I was becoming entirely too honest around this female. Not that I regretted it.
Finally, we reached the uppermost level.
Massive black doors opened soundlessly before us.
And Naeris froze. My chambers overlooked the cosmos itself.
Entire walls of transparent crystal revealed drifting nebulae and endless stars beyond.
Silver fabrics cascaded from vaulted ceilings while ancient weapons and artifacts lined dark shelves built into the obsidian walls.
And at the center stood my bed.
Naeris stared at it in visible disbelief. Then, very slowly, she turned toward me. “That bed is absurd.”
I looked thoughtfully toward it. “In fairness,” I said gravely, “I had very ambitious dreams.”
Another smile transformed her features. "Was I part of those ambitious dreams?"
I stepped right in front of her, took her face in both hands, marveling how small and fragile it seemed compared to my large palms. "You were every part."
She opened her mouth to reply, and I stole the chance and kissed her. Deeply, pouring all my feelings for her into it.