Emily’s POV.
Each step cued me into further anxiety as we headed to the tiltyard; a sickening knot tying in my stomach. It felt like the night of my eighteenth birthday ball when I was first introduced to the public. Calix’s hand holding mine was the only thing steadying me now, giving me the strength I needed.
“Are you sure you can do this?” Calix asked, his voice soft.
“I can.” I nodded.
He glanced at me, his eyes searching mine for any hint of indecision, but I forced myself to hold his gaze.
The air shifted as we approached the tiltyard. I could almost hear the low hums of the people gathered inside.
Instead of the usual entrance of the tiltyard, Han, Calix, and I walked down a corridor, and then a grand staircase appeared ahead shielded by a canopy. Somehow, this tiltyard was fa
