Aegis walked to the platform, and the room watched.
She could feel their eyes—curious, skeptical, hungry for entertainment. The upstart commoner. The tournament winner. The girl who'd clawed her way into nobility through sheer audacity. They wanted to see if she'd crash and burn.
[Fat fucking chance.]
Behind her, Scarlett and Kanna moved in perfect sync, carrying a gilded case between them. Evelyn had outdone herself—the case was carved from dark mahogany and inlaid with silver filigree. It looked like something that should hold crown jewels.
The crowd leaned forward.
Aegis reached the center of the platform and turned to face them. Scarlett and Kanna set the case on the display pedestal, then stepped back to flank her.
