POV: Classic Blackwood —
I woke slowly, the flickering lights above me casting a dull glow in the sterile room. The smell of antiseptic filled my nostrils, a sharp reminder that I wasn't in my element, but rather, trapped in a place of vulnerability.
I could feel the weight of the bandages wrapped around my torso. My body, bruised and battered from the war and the betrayal, screamed in protest as I shifted. It wasn't the pain that made me pause—it was the hollow silence around me. A silence that, for the first time, felt... different.
I looked around, slowly taking in the surroundings. The sterile, white walls. The beeping of medical monitors. But what stuck in my mind the most was the emptiness. The feeling that I wasn't truly alone here, but that something had changed. That everything had shifted when I wasn't conscious to witness it.
Am I still in control? The thought gnawed at the back of my mind.
The last thing I remembered was the chaos, the gunfire, the betrayal. Xavier. His death. The war. Everything had happened so fast. The aftermath was a blur, a whirlwind I had no choice but to be dragged through.
But I wasn't done yet. I was far from finished. I gripped the edge of the bed, using what little strength I had to push myself up. My vision swam for a moment, but I forced myself to focus.
I had to get back up. I had to rebuild. The empire couldn't fall apart—not now.
But something was different. Something felt... wrong.
What did I miss?
I closed my eyes for a moment, allowing myself a moment to breathe. When I opened them again, I saw the reflection of my face in the glass of a nearby table. My eyes were darker than I remembered, haunted by things I couldn't fully grasp yet. But in them, I also saw resolve.
The Blackwood name still held power. But it wasn't just about that anymore.
It was about me—my legacy, my kingdom, my rules.
And I would fight to ensure that no one would ever strip that from me again.
Even as I lay here recovering, my mind was already racing ahead. Plans, schemes, alliances. I would never again be caught off guard. Not like this.
A nurse entered the room, but I waved her off without saying a word. She gave me a concerned glance, but I could see in her eyes that she knew better than to push.
As soon as she left, I reached for my phone, connected to a secure line. It took a moment for the call to connect, but when it did, the voice on the other end was familiar.
"Sir, you're awake," the voice said, a mix of relief and cautious respect in their tone.
"I've had enough rest," I replied coldly. "What's the situation? Give me everything."
There was a pause, a moment of hesitation. "The situation is tense, sir. Christiana is asserting more control—seizing assets, mobilizing troops in key areas, and... well, Amara's festival is already taking on a life of its own. But we've also heard whispers from the non-Blackwood territories. Tensions are rising there."
"I don't care about the festival," I muttered, the sound of the word leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. "What about the non-Blackwood territories? What's happening there?"
"They're preparing to mobilize. They've sensed weakness. They think this is the perfect opportunity to strike."
I took a deep breath, pushing through the dull ache in my chest. "No. We strike first. Send the orders. I want our forces in place by tomorrow. And tell Amara—she's to start gathering intelligence on the non-Blackwood factions. I want everything. The political structure. The key players. Everything."
"Yes, sir. It will be done."
The line clicked off, leaving me with the silence again. But this time, it wasn't as heavy. I wasn't alone in this fight. I had the resources, the people, and the firepower.
And as my body screamed in pain from the effort of sitting up, I smiled inwardly.
The game was far from over.