POV: Chris Blackwood – Still in Disguise
"Follow me," I said, my voice roughened to fit the role. I stood up slowly, every muscle aching from the charade.
Skylar blinked, unsure.
"I said follow me." I grabbed her wrist, then her neck—not in violence, but in command. Just enough to cause a scene. Just enough to provoke exactly what I knew would come.
"Stand down!" a voice screamed.
Guns clicked into place like a choir of loaded wrath.
Dozens of B.A.M agents surged in from every angle.
Red dots danced across my chest.
Skylar didn't fight it. She stood perfectly still, eyes never leaving mine.
"Let her go!" Christiana shouted, stepping through the growing crowd, gun already drawn.
"Hold your fire!" Skylar yelled, but her voice was drowned out by the buzzing comms of the B.A.M security system locking the room.
A cold bead of sweat rolled down the back of my neck. I kept my hand on Skylar's throat but softened the grip—just enough so it was still performance, still theatre.
"This man's deranged," one of the B.A.M captains barked. "Permission to fire, Dictator?"
All eyes went to Christiana.
Her gaze burned through me. "You dare touch the Queen?"
"I am hungry!" I barked, deepening the voice. "I asked for justice! You treat the poor like animals! Is this your great Blackwood Empire?"
"Don't. Test. Me." she said, stepping forward, her finger twitching on the trigger. "Let her go or I swear I'll—"
Skylar held up a hand, barely above her shoulder. "Don't shoot."
Christiana stopped. Confused. Furious.
"I don't care who you are," I growled, still clutching Skylar's neck but now letting emotion seep into my tone. "But if this empire has any justice, let me speak to the people. Let me speak to the court. Or shoot me now and prove everything the streets say about your rule."
For a second, just a second, I saw hesitation flash in Christiana's eyes.
Skylar, calm as ice, whispered, "You heard him. Lower your weapons."
"Mother—!"
"Lower them."
The B.A.M agents looked at Christiana for a final confirmation. Her jaw clenched, then dropped with a cold, bitter breath.
"Lower them."
One by one, the weapons were lowered—but the tension stayed, thick as war smoke.
I leaned in to Skylar's ear, still in full disguise, and whispered so only she could hear, "You are the only one who saw through me. Now play along... or I'll lose control of this entire game."
She didn't nod. Didn't blink.
But I knew then—Skylar was back on my side.
Even if no one else in this room had a clue what storm was about to rise.
To be continued...