Amara POV
The Empire stood at the brink of stillness, yet something in my gut twisted with each passing day. No word. No message. No him. Chris had vanished like fog at dawn, leaving behind a throne too cold and too heavy.
But I could not show fear.
I am Amara Blackwood—Empress, wife of the Supreme Ruler, and the one now holding the reins of an empire built on discipline, fire, and absolute control.
I stood before the towering black-and-gold podium of the BNN (Blackwood National Network) stage, my eyes hard as steel, my voice cold as the laws etched in the stones of the Castle.
"Let it be known to every region, every border, every city and village of the Blackwood Empire," I declared, as hundreds of cameras broadcasted my voice across the world, "that in two days, a Blackwood National Gathering shall be held within the Supreme Courtyard of the Royal Castle."
The hall was silent. Even the reporters' pens trembled in their hands.
"This gathering is not optional," I continued, stepping forward, eyes blazing. "Every registered number—be you First-Class or Surviving Citizen, Royal Guard or Council Elite—must attend."
I paused.
"Absence will be met with immediate execution."
A few gasps escaped the room, but no one dared to challenge me. The laws under Chris were brutal, but under my command, they would be fire. I needed to shake the bones of this nation. I needed them to feel the weight of our authority even in his absence.
There was fear in the air now. Good.
I turned to the camera with a slight tilt of my head.
"And for those wondering what this announcement will be—know this: it will change the structure of this Empire… permanently."
The transmission ended.
In the silence of the palace halls, I stood alone once again, staring at the empty throne.
"Where are you, Chris?" I whispered. "If you're testing me… I will not break."
But deep down, where I buried my fears, I felt a crack. A question.
What if this wasn't a test?
What if he had left for good?
No. I wouldn't allow that possibility.
Not while I breathed. Not while the empire still bore his name.
He was out there. And when he returned, he would find an empire still intact, still sharp… and still mine to command.