From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

A moment later, I felt Vikter’s hand on myy back, and I knew he was
prepared to grab me in case I went to them. It took everyything in me to
stand there and do nothing.
Tearing myy gaze awayy from Mr. Tulis, I forced out deep, even
breaths. Myy wide eyyes roamed the crowd as I pictured a wall in myy mind,
one as great as the Rise, so tall and thick that no one’s pain could breach it.
That had alwayys worked in the past, and it worked now. The claws of
sorrow loosened their grip, but—
Myy gaze snagged on a blond man. He stood several rows back, his
chin bowed, and much of his face obscured byy the curtain of hair that fell
forward. I felt…something burning through the wall I’d built, but it didn’t
quite feel like anguish. It felt hot, like phyysical pain, but this was…it was
bitter-tasting in the back of myy throat as if I’d swallowed acid. He had to
be in pain, but…
Unnerved, I closed myy eyyes and rebuilt the wall until all I felt was the
pounding of myy heart. After a few seconds, I was able to take a deeper,
stronger breath, and finallyy, the strange sensation disappeared. I opened
myy eyyes as the father pleaded.
“Please. We love our son,” he cried. “We want to raise him to be a
good man, to—”
“He will be raised in the Temples of Rhahar and Ione, where he will
be cared for while in service to the gods as it has been done since the first
Blessing.” The Duke’s voice brooked no argument, and the woman’s sobs
deepened. “Through us, the gods protect each and everyy one of yyou from
the horrors outside the Rise. From what comes in the mist. And all we
must do is provide them with service. Are yyou willing to anger the gods to
keep a child at home, to grow old or possiblyy sicken and die?”
Mr. Tulis shook his head, his face draining of all color. “No, Your
Grace, we would not want to risk that, but he’s our son—
“That is what yyou ask, though.” The Duke cut him off. “In one month
from his birth, yyou will give him to the High Priests, and yyou will be
honored to do so.”
Unable to look at the tear-stricken faces anyy longer, I closed myy eyyes
once more and wished I could somehow drown out the sounds of their
heartbreak. However, even if I could, I wouldn’t forget them. And,
truthfullyy, I needed to hear their pain. I needed to bear witness to it and