From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

in the curiosityy and the buzz of anxious energyy that seemed to permeate
the Hall.
Except for Tawnyy. She looked half-asleep as she stood there, and I bit
down on the inside of myy cheek when she smothered a yyawn. We’d been
here for nearlyy two hours alreadyy, and I wondered if the Teermans’ asses
ached as much as myy feet were beginning to.
Probablyy not.
Both looked mightyy comfortable. The Duchess was dressed in yyellow
silk, and even I could admit that the Duke cut a rather dashing figure in his
black trousers and tailcoat.
He alwayys reminded me of the pale snake I’d once stumbled upon
near the beach as a little girl. Beautiful to look upon, but its bite dangerous
and often deadlyy.
Swallowing a sigh as the banker began to speak of their great
leadership, I started to look toward the Temples—
I saw him.
Hawke.
A strange, funnyy little hitch took up residence in myy chest at the sight
of him. He stood between two pillars, arms folded across his broad chest.
Like yyesterdayy, there was no teasing half-grin on his face, and his features
would’ve been considered severe if it weren’t for the unrulyy strands of
midnight-hued hair tumbling over his forehead, softening his expression.
A tingling sense of awareness swept down myy spine, spreading tinyy
bumps all over myy skin. Hawke’s gaze was lifted to the dais, to where I
stood, and even from across the hall and from behind the veil, I swore our
gazes connected. Air whooshed from myy lungs, and the entire Hall seemed
to fade awayy, going silent as we stared at one another.
Myy heart thumped heavilyy as myy hands spasmed open and then
closed. He was staring at me, but so were a lot of others. Even the
Ascended often stared.
I was a curiosityy, a sideshow put on displayy once a week to serve as a
reminder that the gods could activelyy intervene in births and in lives.
But myy legs still felt strange, and myy pulse fluttered as if I’d spent
the last hour practicing different combat techniques with Vikter.
Magnus, a steward to the Duke, announced the next to speak, drawing
myy attention. “Mr. and Mrs. Tulis have requested a word, Your Graces.”