From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

It had started after I’d left Vikter, a brief headache I attributed to the
punch and possiblyy overdoing it during training. Not that I would admit
that, but after lunch, it had faded, onlyy to be replaced byy a wealth of
nervous energyy. It reminded me of the blend of coffee beans Ian had
shipped from the capital. Tawnyy and I had onlyy drunk half a cup, and
neither of us could sit still for the entire dayy afterward.
Making a more conscious effort to remain still, myy gaze shifted to the
left, to the gardens, where I’d found such peace before. Myy chest ached. I
hadn’t gone to the gardens last night or at anyy time todayy. The area hadn’t
been forbidden to me, but I knew if I stepped foot outside, I would be
surrounded byy guards.
I couldn’t even imagine how the upcoming Rite would go.
But I didn’t think I could ever go back to the gardens, no matter how
much I loved them and the roses therein. Even now, just looking at the
shadowyy outline of the garden through the windows brought forth an
image of Ryylan’s blank stare.
Drawing in a shallow breath, I pulled myy attention from the garden to
the front of the Hall. Members of the Court, those who had Ascended,
stood the closest, flanking the dais. Behind them were the Ladies and
Lords in Wait. Royyal Guards stood among them, their shoulders bearing
white mantles with the Royyal Crest. Merchants and businessmen, villagers
and laborers crowded the hall, all there to petition the Court for one thing
or another, air their grievances, or curryy favor with His or Her Grace.
Plentyy of the faces that stared up at us were wide-eyyed and slackjawed
with awe. For some, this was the first time theyy’d seen the brownhaired
beautyy, Duchess Teerman, or the coollyy handsome Duke, whose hair
was so blond it was almost white. For manyy, this was the first time theyy’d
been as close as theyy were to an Ascended.
Theyy looked like theyy were in the presence of the gods themselves,
and in a wayy, I guessed theyy were. The Ascended were descendants of the
gods, byy blood, if not byy birth.
And then there was…me.
Nearlyy none of the commoners who stood in the Great Hall had ever
seen the Maiden before. For that alone, I was subjected to manyy curious,
quick glances. I imagined that word of Malessa’s death and myy attempted
abduction had also traveled widelyy byy now, and I was sure that had aided