Chapter 64. Velvet Wars

Power didn’t leave a vacuum. It left a debt.

And Lilah Vance had no interest in watching Harper Quinn inherit anything she hadn’t bled for herself.

From the top floor of the Council Exchange Tower, Lilah watched the city unfurl like a grid of consequence. Her stilettos clicked softly against polished marble, the surrounding windows tinted gold from the first hints of morning.

Harper’s coronation had gone through. The Council had confirmed her. The people had cheered. The press had already named her the “Heir of Steel.”

Steel rusted.

Lilah’s reflection in the glass tilted its head.

Behind her, a private line clicked open on her wrist comm.

“Black Tier waiting for signal,” said the voice. Male. Careful.

“Let them wait.”

“They expected to move last night.”

“They expected a puppet,” Lilah replied coldly. “Harper built something harder to break.”

Silence.

Then: “And you?”

“I’ll break it from the inside.”