Chapter 343: Offended

Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Offended

Arik found Liam exactly where he expected him to be.

Three levels below the administrative wing, standing in front of the sealed corridor leading toward the trial chamber with his arms folded and an expression that suggested the security field had personally insulted him.

Cassian stood several meters away.

The commander took one look at Arik approaching with Kamal and immediately stepped aside.

Liam wore dark trousers, low boots, and a fitted black jacket with the mate stone mounted into a narrow gold fastening at his chest. His brown hair had been tied loosely at the nape, presumably because he intended to work rather than attend another diplomatic meeting, and his crimson eyes narrowed the moment Arik stopped beside him.

"You denied the authorization."

"I delayed it."

"That is bureaucratic language for denied."

"I learned from two months of diplomacy."

Liam pointed toward the sealed doors.

"I was Enki."

"Yes."

"The trial chamber recognizes me."

"It does."

"I can enter and leave whenever I want."

Arik sighed.

That was exactly the problem.

"Do you remember anything technical about the last time you were inside?"

Liam opened his mouth.

Stopped.

His expression changed.

Arik waited.

Liam frowned toward the door.

"That is what bothers me."

"I know."

"I remember being there."

"Yes."

"I remember the trial. I remember what happened with you. I remember the room responding to me."

"But?"

Liam’s frown deepened.

"But I cannot tell you how."

Kamal remained wisely silent behind them.

Arik folded his arms, dark silk pulling over his large arms.

Liam looked at him.

"You already thought of this."

"I suspected it."

"And you decided not to mention it?"

"I was waiting for you to become difficult enough that experimental evidence would save time."

Liam’s eyes narrowed.

"Open the door."

Arik smiled faintly.

"Gladly."

The security field dropped with a soft pulse, revealing the dark passage beyond.

Liam started forward.

Arik caught his arm.

"Five minutes."

Liam looked down at his hand.

"What?"

"You enter the trial room, find one piece of technical information about the Gate or the chamber itself, and return before five minutes pass."

"That is absurd."

"It should be extremely easy for Enki."

Liam stared at him.

Arik released his arm and took out his phone.

"I am timing you."

The offense on Liam’s face became almost impressive.

"Fine."

He walked through the corridor.

The doors sealed behind him.

Arik started the timer.

Kamal looked toward the closed entrance.

"What exactly are we proving?"

"That depends on whether I am right."

"And if you are wrong?"

"Liam becomes unbearable for approximately three days."

Cassian considered that.

"Optimistic estimate."

Arik ignored him.

Four minutes and thirty-seven seconds later, the doors opened.

Liam emerged carrying nothing but irritation.

Arik stopped the timer.

"Well?"

"I found the central control interface."

"What powers it?"

Liam paused.

Arik raised an eyebrow.

"It is connected to the chamber."

"That is not technical information."

"I know that."

"What kind of ether architecture?"

Liam’s mouth tightened.

"I knew while I was inside."

Kamal’s eyebrows rose, blue eyes clearly amused.

Liam turned toward the door.

"I knew exactly what I was looking at."

"And now?"

Liam glared at Arik.

"Again."

Arik restarted the timer.

Liam disappeared inside.

The doors closed.

Cassian looked at Arik.

"You are enjoying this."

"A little." Arik smiled.

Five minutes later, Liam returned considerably faster.

"The outer ring controls spatial anchoring."

Arik nodded.

"How?"

Liam stopped.

His expression flattened.

"No."

Arik said nothing.

"I had it."

"I believe you."

"I understood the entire configuration."

"Excellent. Explain it."

Liam stared at him.

Then turned around.

"Again."

The doors opened.

Liam marched inside.

Kamal folded his arms.

"This may take a while."

"No," Arik said. "It will take exactly as long as Liam needs to become personally offended by metaphysics."

The third attempt lasted three minutes.

Liam returned almost at a run.

"There are twelve primary nodes."

"What do they do?"

"They—"

He stopped. His face went blank with horror.

Arik bit the inside of his cheek.

Liam pointed at him.

"Do not smile."

"I am not."

"You are internally smiling."

"That sounds difficult to prove."

Liam turned back toward the chamber.

"Again."

The fourth attempt involved Liam writing information on his tablet while inside.

He returned victorious.

Arik looked at the screen.

It contained seven blank pages.

Liam stared at them.

Then slowly lifted his eyes.

"No."

Cassian turned away.

His shoulders moved once.

Liam’s expression became murderous.

"You are laughing."

"I coughed."

"You did not."

Arik took the tablet gently from Liam before it became a projectile.

"Try once more."

"I am going to."

"I assumed."

The fifth attempt involved Liam recording himself.

When he returned, the recording existed.

It was eight minutes long.

There was no sound.

Liam stood in the corridor staring at the silent waveform.

Arik leaned against the wall.

Kamal had given up pretending not to be entertained.

"This is scientifically offensive," Liam said.

"Yes."

"I designed systems that violate ordinary spatial geometry, and apparently I cannot bring back a sentence explaining how they work."

"That appears to be the case."

Liam looked toward the sealed chamber with open hostility.

"I hate that room."

"You wanted to dismantle it twenty minutes ago."

"I still do. Now it is personal."

Arik stepped closer and took Liam gently by the shoulders before he could launch a sixth expedition.

"Liam."

"I can solve this."

"I know."

"Then move."

"No."

Liam looked up at him.

Arik’s amusement faded enough to explain.

"You are Enki."

Liam went still.

"But you decided to remain Liam."

"Yes."

"And whatever exists inside that chamber recognizes the part of you that was Enki, perhaps even gives you access to what Enki knew while you are behind that veil."

Liam’s eyes shifted toward the door.

Arik continued.

"But it is not letting you carry that knowledge back."

Silence settled between them.

Liam understood.

"If I wanted everything Enki knew," Liam said slowly, "I might have to stop being entirely what I know I am."

"That is what I think."

Liam’s jaw tightened.

He looked irritated rather than frightened, which Arik considered extremely characteristic.

"So the universe has placed my own technical knowledge behind an identity-access restriction."

Arik nodded solemnly.

"A very sophisticated one."

"I hate metaphysics."

"I know."

"I am an engineer."

"I am aware."

"This is discriminatory."

Kamal made a suspicious sound behind them.

Liam turned.

"Do you disagree?"

"Absolutely not."

Arik slid an arm around Liam’s waist and began guiding him away from the chamber.

Liam allowed three steps.

Then looked back.

"I could try six minutes."

"No."

"Ten?"

"No."

"Perhaps the transition happens at the doorway. If I remain partially inside—"

"Amara arrives in two days."

That stopped him.

Arik smiled.

"She remembers Nuria without needing to cross an identity veil."

Liam considered that.

Then reluctantly continued walking.

"This does not mean I am finished with the room."

"I never imagined it did."

Behind them, the trial chamber remained sealed.

Liam glanced back once more.

Arik tightened his arm around him.

"No."

"I said nothing."

"You were thinking technically."

"That is not a crime."

"Not yet."

Liam looked offended.

Kamal laughed.