Amara's POV
I stormed through the golden corridor of the palace, my boots echoing sharply against the marble floor. Guards stepped aside immediately—my presence alone was a command.
Chris had summoned me before, but this time... this time, I was the one doing the summoning.
I needed answers.
Not as his Enforcer. Not as the Head of Imperial Intelligence. But as the woman who had stood by him through shadows, blood, and betrayal.
And now—my most trusted soldier, Darius, had crossed the line. Confessed to reaching out to Classic behind my back. And yet... something about Chris's recent softness, his unwavering protection of Skylar, was what truly twisted my gut.
He was beginning to hesitate. And hesitation was dangerous.
I entered the private chamber without knocking. He was seated alone, pouring over classified reports, dressed in simple imperial black. No crown. No robe. Just the man behind the god.
"Chris," I said curtly.
He looked up, eyes tired. "You look like war."
"I feel like it." I stepped closer. "We need to talk."
He set the file down and nodded, signaling the guards to leave. The doors closed behind me with a silent thud.
"I'm aware of Darius," he said before I could speak.
My jaw clenched. "Then you also know he betrayed me."
"He told the truth. That counts for something."
I scoffed. "He wouldn't have needed to confess if he hadn't reached out to Classic in the first place."
Chris leaned back, eyes locked on mine. "Classic isn't your enemy."
"No, but Skylar is. And yet here we are—me bound by an order to never touch her. Do you realize what kind of message that sends, Chris? That she's still above consequence."
He didn't answer immediately. The silence between us felt like a test.
Then he said, slowly, "Skylar is still 02 of the Empire. She is my wife. And until I say otherwise, she is untouchable."
"Even after she turned the people against you?"
"She thinks she's protecting them," he murmured. "But she's lost."
I stepped forward, lowering my voice. "And what about you? Are you lost too?"
His jaw flexed.
"I need to believe you still want order, Chris. That you're not letting emotion rewrite the Empire we built."
"I want order," he said, voice low and cold. "But I also want control. If I tell you to keep your blade sheathed, you will obey."
I narrowed my eyes. "And if I can't?"
"Then I'll find someone who can."
Silence.
It was the first time he'd ever threatened me—even subtly.
But I understood what he meant: Skylar may betray me. You may question me. But I am still the Empire.
I bowed—just slightly. "Understood… Blackwood 1."
And I turned to leave.
But in my chest, a fire had been lit. One that wasn't going out anytime soon.