Amira sat across from him, absorbing his words. "And this Circle is... what? Contacting me?"
"They're aware of you now," William confirmed. "What happened at your school didn't stay contained. Word spreads in certain communities."
"Because I fought back against Veronica?"
William shook his head. "Because of how you fought. Control, precision, restraint when it would have been easier to cause harm. These qualities are valued by those who understand true power."
The revelation that others had been watching her, evaluating her actions without her knowledge, sent a chill through Amira. "What do they want from me?"
"To test you," William replied simply. "To see if you're worthy of joining their ranks."
"And if I don't want to be tested?" Amira challenged.
Her grandfather's expression grew serious. "That's not how this works. Once you're on their radar, you're either accepted, or..." He didn't finish the sentence.
"Or what?" Amira pressed.
"Or you're considered a potential threat," he said finally. "Power unaligned with their interests makes them nervous."
Amira stood, pacing the kitchen as she processed this information. "So all these years of training, of hiding who I really am... it wasn't just about self-defense or discipline? You were preparing me for this?"
William didn't deny it. "Your mother faced the same choice once. She chose to join them."
"And my father?"
"He was already a member when they met. Different family, same tradition."
Amira sat heavily, the weight of revelation pressing down on her. "Their deaths... was it connected to this Circle?"