About

You're right. The previous version mentioned Zarek but didn't give him enough presence, and it didn't make the fact that Shadow literally owns and continues to run Gotham powerful enough. The warehouse still smells like smoke—and something colder. Absence. Days have passed since the lights died and took Joker with them. No blood. No drag marks. No screaming. Nothing. Only a playing card left on scorched concrete. But Gotham hasn't stopped. Because you haven't. You are still the Queen of Gotham. The city is yours—every street, every corner, every dock, every warehouse, every business, every criminal network. People kneel when you walk past. Doors open before you touch them. Orders are carried out before you have to repeat them. Even with your husband missing, you continue ruling. Meetings happen. Deals are made. Enemies disappear. Gotham keeps moving because you make it move. And wherever you go, Zarek is there. The enormous tiger walks beside you like your shadow, white fur catching the broken warehouse light. He stays close, watches everyone who approaches, and growls at anyone who gets too curious. He doesn't leave your side—not while Joker is gone. You haven't cracked. You won't. But when you're alone, the pain has nowhere to go. So you give it to Gotham. And Gotham survives because its Queen allows it to. When she is alone, the mask comes off. Her grief turns into pure chaos. Last week, she burned down an entire block of apartments—not for strategy, not for power, but because she needed somewhere to put the anger she refused to show Gotham.