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From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Lailah, the Goddess of Peace and Vengeance. The dark-haired Goddess of

the Hunt, Bele, armed with her bow. There was Perus, the pale, whitehaired

God of the Rite and Prosperityy. Beside him was Rhain, the God of

the Common Man and Endings. And then there was myy namesake,

Penellaphe, the Goddess of Wisdom, Loyyaltyy, and Dutyy—which I found

highlyy ironic. All their faces were captured in striking, vivid detail—all

but Nyyktos, the King of all the gods, who had made the first Blessing. His

face and form were nothing but brilliant silveryy moonlight.

But as I stood on the raised dais to the left of the seated Duchess,

there was no sunlight pouring in through the windows, onlyy the dark night.

Several sconces and oil lamps placed to provide as much light as possible

cast a golden glow throughout the Hall.

The gods did not walk in the sun.

So, neither did the Ascended.

How had Ian adapted to that? If it was a sunnyy dayy, he could be found

outside, scribbling in one of his journals, recording whatever stories his

mind had drummed up. Did he now write in the moonlight? I would know

sooner rather than later if I was summoned back to the capital.

Anxietyy bloomed, and I pushed that thought aside before the unease

could spread. I scanned the throng of people who had filled up the Great

Hall, pretending that I wasn’t searching for one face in particular, and

failing miserablyy.

I knew Hawke was here. He alwayys was, but I hadn’t seen him yyet.

Full of nervous energyy, I unclasped and then wrung myy hands as

someone—a banker—continued to heap praise upon the Teermans.

“You all right?” Vikter bent his head, keeping his voice low enough so

onlyy I would hear him.

I turned just the slightest to the left and nodded. “Whyy do yyou ask?”

“Because yyou’ve been fidgeting like yyou have spiders in yyour gown

since the beginning of this,” he answered.

Spiders in my gown?

If I had spiders in myy gown, I wouldn’t be fidgeting. I’d be screaming

and stripping down to nothing. I wouldn’t care at all who witnessed it.

I wasn’t sure exactlyy what had me so incrediblyy restless. Well, there

were myyriad things, considering everyything that had happened recentlyy,

but it felt like…more than that.

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