Page 16 of Hell Storm

There was something curious about the way she said that. “Alternate route?”

Elle nodded. “Yes, one of the underground tunnels. The property has several.”

I blinked wildly as my thoughts began to formulate some semblance of a plan.

“That’s cool,” I chirped, pretending to be impressed. Well, I guess Iwason some level.

“I suppose it is.”

Elle offered another bright smile as she lifted the cover of a keypad beside the large, retractable door. I nearly broke my neck trying to catch what the code was, but I missed it.

“Ianite technology has come a long way since the main palace was first constructed. When Julian was nearly of age to migrate into his own estate on the property, the Empress made certain his home was outfitted with all the latest perks and gadgets.”

The Empress.

I was aware she was scheduled to be away on a philanthropic task for a while, but it seemed strange she hadn’t returned sooner. I mean, with all the trouble Julian had gotten himself into recently. My guess would have been that she’d want to be present to oversee how things were handled. Only, from what I could tell, this family catastrophe hadn’t changed the course of her plans.

“Is the passage from Julian’s estate concealed behind some hidden door or something?” I didn’t waste time getting back on track with the questions.

Elle laughed. “No, actually. Just anormaldoor. Right inside the staff kitchen.”

I made a mental note of that information, in case I ever got the chance to use it.

“And if you had to guess, how many underground passages does this placehave?”

Elle took no time thinking about it. “Only two that actually exit the property, but in total, fifteen.”

As the number left her mouth, the large door beside us began to rise. Surprisingly, with its massive girth, it was still almost completely silent. A glossy white floor with silver flecks mirrored the light like a shiny coin. My heart was racing with sheer anticipation. I was, admittedly, excited to be getting a glimpse of Julian’s collection,beyondmy ulterior motives.

The door disappeared inside the ceiling and nothing stood between me and the array of high-profile vehicles. I wasn’t sure why, but I expected to find a fleet of black cars like the two I’d been in so far. I was wrong about that. Red, blue, yellow, and even the brightest, loudest green I’d ever seen in my whole life greeted me.

Our slow steps echoed through what I now realized was a showcase. Calling this place a garage was like calling Earth a rock.

“He has so many,” I mumbled aimlessly.

Elle gave a nod. “Yes, he’s acquired quite a few over the years.”

A few … yeah, okay.

My gaze shifted toward the wall when a dark mass caught my eye—a mounted black shelf. And what sat on top of it made my knees weak.

Motorcycle helmets.

I stopped dead in my tracks and so did Elle. I counted ten of them—different colors, different styles.

“Julian rides?”

Elle nodded. “On occasion, despite his father hassling him about how doing so contradicts the wholesome image an emperor ought to project.”

My eyes darted from one corner of the room to the next. “Where does he keep the bikes?”

She must have read the excitement on my face, because her smile grew broader. “Right this way.”

I followed her to a glass door with a silver pull handle. The room on the other side of it was pitch black, preventing me from seeing much, but that didn’t stop the excitement that swelled within me.

We crossed the threshold, and with the bright light that filled the room the next instant, you couldn’t have convinced me I hadn’t died and gone to heaven. The car showroom would have been Felix’s paradise, but this … it was mine.

Row after row of bikes I could onlydreamof riding.

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