Queen worries

Skylar POV

The halls of the imperial palace were eerily silent, the weight of history pressing against the very walls. I walked with steady steps, my gown trailing behind me as I approached the grand chamber. The doors were already open, as if expecting my arrival.

Inside, Chris sat on his throne—not as a ruler, but as a man who had built an empire with his own hands, now watching the future unfold. He barely acknowledged my presence, his eyes fixed on the space ahead, lost in thought.

I stepped closer, stopping at the base of the steps leading to the throne.

"You intend to make them fight for it," I said, my voice calm but edged with knowing.

Chris finally looked at me, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You disapprove?"

I tilted my head. "I expected nothing less from you."

His smirk deepened, but it didn't reach his eyes.

I sighed, stepping forward. "Classic is not ready, and you know it. He is strong, but hesitant. He doesn't have the cruelty needed to command absolute power."

Chris leaned back. "And Christiana?"

"She is too much like you." My voice softened. "And you know where that path leads."

His eyes flickered—just for a second. A brief crack in the unshakable foundation that was Chris Blackwood.

I ascended the steps until I stood beside him, looking out over the vast room, the empire he had built. "You say they must earn it. But tell me, Chris, what is the cost of that?"

His fingers drummed against the armrest, his expression unreadable.

Finally, he spoke. "Everything."

Silence stretched between us, a quiet understanding that neither of us needed to voice.

The battle for the Blackwood throne had begun.