They Tried to Push a Sterling Into the Dark

I watched Sophia loop a freshly made daisy chain around the puppy’s neck, laughing as the dog wagged its tail.

“At three o’clock in the morning,” I continued, turning to look at my brother, “they tried to prove that my daughter and I were powerless, disposable distractions in their elite world.”

Victor offered a rare, genuine smile. “And what did they learn instead, Viv?”

I looked back out at the glowing city, my voice steady, unbroken, and final.

“They learned that when you try to push a Sterling into the dark, you’re simply forcing the entire empire to step into the light.”

THE END.