Amara's POV
The morning sun crept reluctantly through the curtains, casting golden streaks over the marble floor, but there was no warmth in the air. Not in this castle. Not after last night.
Chris was already dressed—black-on-black military regalia with a crimson sash, the mark of Emperor in active command. He stood by the window, hands clasped behind his back, silently watching the guards reform their perimeter in double strength.
The palace was on edge.
Security had tripled overnight. New access codes were implemented, guest chambers were scanned for hidden entries, and no one—no one—moved without an ID chip scan.
I tightened the belt around my robe, still exhausted, but not about to be left out of the day's command briefings.
Chris turned when he heard my steps. "Amara," he said, voice calm but eyes hard. "We're holding a full council in thirty minutes. Classic, Darius, all B.A.M. heads. You're by my side."
"Of course," I said, walking to him. "I'll have the interrogator's report before then."
"And the intruder?"
"Still in the dungeons. They found a chip in his boots." My voice dropped to ice. "Unauthorized tech. Not standard guard issue. Not approved by me. Not logged by logistics. He's either a mole… or a puppet."
Chris's jaw clenched. "Someone's testing us."
I nodded. "Someone wants to know what happens when a guard crosses the line."
I smiled, darkly.
"They got their answer."
Before we could continue, a soft knock at the chamber door. Proper. Precise.
"Enter," I said.
A young elite officer stepped in, saluting crisply. "Ma'am. Sir. Lady Rheina has sent a letter requesting an audience. In person."
Chris barely flinched.
"I thought I made myself clear," he said. "She's not to be touched. But she's also not to rise."
I raised a brow at him. "You want me to ignore her?"
"I want you to ignore what she wants. Let her wait."
He turned toward the door but paused.
His voice came lower, colder.
"And Amara… the next time someone walks into our chamber uninvited, I don't want a hundred B.A.M. rushing in. I want one sniper on the roof ready to put a hole in their skull. We don't panic in this castle. We execute."
I gave him a sharp nod. "Understood, husband."
He looked at me for a long beat. "Make them fear you more than they respect you. That's how a Blackwood survives."
He exited first, his guards forming a protective wall around him like shadows. I followed seconds later, my own security detail falling in line.
Today was not just cleanup.
It was control.
The message had to be loud and unshakable:
There is no weakness in the heart of the Blackwood Empire.
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