Chapter 6: The Cost of Power

The scent of gunpowder still clung to Amandla's clothes as she and Noah walked briskly through the back alleys of the city. The underground casino was in chaos—Moreau's men were either dead, fleeing, or scrambling to decide their next move. But none of that mattered.

She had done what the Council asked.

She had proven herself.

The black SUV was already waiting for them a block away, the driver tense as they slid into the backseat. The moment the doors shut, he sped off into the night.

Noah exhaled, finally breaking the silence. "That was a risk."

Amandla didn't take her eyes off the city lights blurring past. "And it paid off."

Noah studied her for a moment before shaking his head. "You enjoyed it."

She turned to him, unblinking. "I enjoyed winning."

He smirked. "Same thing in our world."

The car wove through the streets, taking a deliberately indirect route back to the family estate. The city had already started whispering about Moreau's death. A power shift was coming.

Amandla had made her move.

Now, she had to survive the aftermath.

A Father's Shadow

When they arrived at the mansion, the weight of the night settled over her. She had always thought of this place as her father's kingdom, but tonight, it felt different.

It was hers now.

She made her way to his study—the place where he had once plotted, once commanded, once ruled. It still smelled of cigar smoke and aged leather, like his presence lingered in the very walls.

Amandla ran her fingers over the edge of the mahogany desk before taking a seat in his chair.

She had spent years watching him sit here, making decisions that shaped the city's underworld. And now, it was her turn.

Noah leaned against the doorway. "How does it feel?"

She tapped her fingers against the desk. "Heavy."

He nodded, stepping inside. "Power always is."

Amandla looked up at him. "I did what they wanted. Moreau is dead."

"And now they'll be watching," Noah said. "Seeing if you can hold what you just took."

Amandla knew he was right. The Council had given her a task, but that didn't mean they trusted her yet. Some of them would be satisfied. Others would wonder if she was too bold, too unpredictable.

And some… might already be plotting against her.

A Warning in Blood

The first sign of trouble came before dawn.

A knock at the estate's gates. Urgent. Relentless.

The guards hesitated before opening the doors, their hands resting on their weapons. What they found made even the most hardened men pale.

A body.

Strung up against the iron gate, arms splayed, blood dripping onto the pavement. A message carved into his chest with brutal precision.

"Not yours yet."

Amandla stood in the cold morning air, staring at the corpse. The man had been one of Moreau's—one of those who had fled when she struck. Someone had found him first.

Noah crouched beside the body, inspecting the wounds. "This wasn't done in anger. This was a statement."

Amandla's jaw tightened. "Someone wants me to know I'm not untouchable."

Noah glanced at her. "What are you going to do about it?"

She exhaled, the morning wind biting against her skin.

"They sent a message," she said. "Now, I'll send mine."

End of Chapter 6.