In Her Father’s Shadow
The council chamber was colder than she remembered.
Kitana stood alone beneath the high ceiling of steel and flickering holograms. Her footsteps echoed on the black tile floor, polished so perfectly she could see her reflection staring back. She stood straight, hands folded neatly, trying not to shake.
She had stood beside her father in this chamber countless times. But never alone. Not like this.
Shao Kahn sat at the head of the long council table. The crests of Outworld’s conquered zones gleamed across his shoulders. Even seated, he seemed to tower over the room.
“Step forward,” he said.
His voice filled the chamber, deep and heavy. She obeyed without pause.
She kept her eyes down. Looking into his face too long always felt like standing too close to a fire.
“You have come of age,” he said, choosing each word carefully. “It is time to prove yourself. Not just as my heir, but as a ruler.”
Kitana swallowed hard. The air felt thick in her throat. She thought of her years in the inner palace. Her training, her lessons, all the hours spent learning to speak and act just right. All of it leading to this.
“You will take command of Edenia.”
She nearly forgot to breathe.
“Edenia?” she said, her voice smaller than she meant it to be.
His gaze didn’t waver. “The district has grown weak. Too sentimental. It will be the test of your discipline. If you fail, I will take it back. If you succeed, you will prove that you deserve everything I have built.”
For a moment, something flickered in her chest. Hope that maybe, just maybe, this meant he trusted her.
“I won’t disappoint you,” she said, lowering her head to hide the emotion rising in her eyes.
The silence stretched.
When she glanced up, she saw Tanya sitting across the table. Her eyes were flat. Her mouth gave nothing away. Always watching. Always waiting.
Shao Kahn raised his hand and flicked his fingers once, dismissing her like she was no more than a servant.
“Go,” he said. “Think of it as a chance to clean house.”
Kitana turned to leave, spine straight, heart pounding in her chest.
She told herself she had no reason to be afraid. This was her chance to be worthy of the name she thought he gave her.