The following morning, Emilia woke with one thought already weighing on her mind.
I hadn't escaped it.
The humiliation from the previous day still clung to her, even though she had tried to bury it beneath sleep. Kael's accusation kept replaying in her head, followed by Neriah's carefully placed tears and the way Kael had immediately believed her.
Emilia sat on the edge of her bed for a while before forcing herself to stand.
She wouldn't let them see her break. Not Kael or Neriah. And certainly not the people who were waiting for her to fail as Luna.
She dressed simply, choosing black leggings and a soft cream sweater from the clothes her maids had arranged. She barely looked at the crown sitting on her dressing table.
She still wasn't ready to wear it every day.
When she stepped ou
