The transition from the slums of Yaba to the Inner Circle’s "Sanctuary" was a silent, high-speed blur. The black SUV moved like a shark through the morning traffic of Lagos, its armored glass filtering out the noise, the heat, and the desperate energy of the city I had just agreed to rule. Beside me, the Curator remained a statue of gray silk and cold intent. He didn't look out the window; he didn't need to. He owned the view.
"The transition will be difficult for the others," the Curator said, his voice cutting through the hum of the electric motor. "Alexander Thorne is being processed for medical stabilization. Tunde Williams has been relocated to a high-security construction site in the Lekki Free Zone. They are safe, Zainab. But they are no longer your concern. To lead the world, one
