The next few seconds happened in a blur.
Calix shoved me behind him so fast I nearly stumbled, his body coiling in front of mine like a shield. And then his sword was out. The sound of metal unsheathing sent silence through the room.
All around us, guards flinched. Steel scraped in response.
One by one, the king’s soldiers drew their blades, stepping forward. Boots marching against the stone floor echoed around the room, louder than they should have. The elites and royals who hadn’t left yet started backing away, their fine robes rustling like leaves caught in a gust.
They were frightened. They should be.
Calix’s blade was steady in his hand, his body taut with fury. But I knew that if he made a single wrong move, they’d all come for him. Even his own guards would come too. Yes, they
