SOLVED. YA Fantasy. Female protagonist with unknown/untapped magical abilities she must hide from the king/ prince. [s]

[Francesca]

YA book, possible fantasy. Possibly first book in a series. Female protagonist, around 16 years old. She lives in the poor part of town, where it is very muddy and all the houses are on stilts. Protag’s family is large. Several children. Oldest son is away fighting in the war at the edge of the kingdom’s (empire’s?) territories and occasionally he is able to send letters home.
Protag has a male before friend from childhood. Early on in the book, we meet him as the protag and he meet and talk in a treehouse (I believe). They are not dating but there is definitely an attraction between the two of them.
I have a memory of a scene including a long, crowded trek up a lot of muddy stone steps with the town to an amphitheater, though what takes place there I cannot recall. A fight of some sorts. I believe the male friend is audibly stating his displeasure at the fight and the protag attempting to hush him in case he be heard.
There are rebels involved in the story. There is a scene where the protag meets with a rebel member in what I think was the back of a trading cart - very dark and cramped. They meet late and night, in secrecy. By this time, the male friend I think has been carted off (perhaps to war? Prison?)
I believe there was a selection of sorts where several young women across the kingdom are drawn and sent to the capital to… compete for the prince’s hand? This may not be 100% accurate. Our protag is drawn.
There is magic in this universe but it seems to be mostly tampered down or quashed completely. Our protag turns out to have magic abilities but they are unknown and untapped. When facing her near death at the Capitol (in the palace?) she inadvertently releases her power to save her life. She generates a sort of force field on which she falls upon instead of falling to her death.
Read this in the early 2010s I believe. I hope this is enough detail to help - thank you!

[Fuzz]

I think you're looking for Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard!

[SamSpayedPI]

Red Queen for Fuzz's link.

[Francesca]

That’s it! Thank you guys so much!