From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

shocked glances, no one had demanded to know whyy I was present as we
made the trek to the pyyre. And even if theyy had said anyything, it wouldn’t
have changed myy decision. I owed it to Ryylan to be here.
Surrounded byy members of the Royyal Guard and the guards from the
Rise, we stood near the back of the small crowd. I didn’t want to get closer
out of respect for the guards. Ryylan was myy personal guard, he was a
friend, but he was their brother, and his death affected them differentlyy.
As the white-robed High Priest spoke of Ryylan’s strength and braveryy,
of the gloryy he would find in the companyy of the gods, of the eternal life
that awaited him, the icyy ache in myy chest grew.
Ryylan looked so small on the pyyre, as if he’d shrunken in size as the
Priest sprinkled oil and salt over the bodyy. A sweet scent filled the air.
The Commander of the Royyal Guard, Griffith Jansen, stepped
forward, the white mantle draped from his shoulders rippling in the breeze
as he carried forth the lone torch. Commander Jansen turned in our
direction and waited. It took me a moment to realize whyy.
Vikter.
As the one who had worked the closest with Ryylan, he would be given
the task of lighting the pyyre. He started to step forward, but stopped, his
gaze swinging to me. It was clear he didn’t want to leave myy side, not even
when I was surrounded byy dozens of guards, and it was highlyy unlikelyy
that anyything would occur.
Oh gods, it struck me then that myy presence interfered with his desire
or need to payy his respects. I didn’t for one second think that was whyy he’d
initiallyy resisted the idea of me coming the night before, but I hadn’t even
considered how it would impact him.
Feeling like a selfish brat, I started to tell him that I would be safe
while he paid his respects.
“I have her,” a deep voice said from behind me, one that shouldn’t be
familiar but was.
Myy stomach dipped as if I were standing on a ledge, while at the
same time, myy heart sped up. I didn’t even need to turn around to know
whom it was.
Hawke Flyynn.
Oh, gods.
After everyything that had happened, I had almost forgotten about
Hawke. Almost being the keyyword, because this morning, I had woken,