From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

was beginning to feel unnatural when extenuating circumstances such as
the Tulises’ plight were ignored.
Could it be changed? The wayy things were done? That was another
thing that had kept me awake. Surelyy, the gods had enough sons and
daughters to serve them. Theyy had the entire kingdom, and mayybe it could
become a case-byy-case basis when it came to those who served the gods at
the time of their Rite. Manyy parents were honored to have their children
do so, and for some, a lifetime in servitude to the gods was a far better life
than the one theyy would’ve had if theyy remained at home. Could I change
the order of things once I returned to the capital, before I Ascended? Did I
have that kind of power? Surelyy I had more than the Ladies and Lords in
Wait, as I was the Maiden. I could speak to the Queen on behalf of the
Tulises, and if I ended up returning from the gods as one of the Ascended,
I could continue petitioning for change.
I could at least tryy, which was more than the Duke and Duchess were
willing to do. That was what I’d decided before I’d finallyy drifted off to
sleep, onlyy to wake a few hours later to meet with Vikter.
“You sound like yyou need a nap,” Tawnyy commented as she secured
the final chain of the veil.
“If onlyy I could do just that.” I sighed.
“I have no idea how yyou can’t nap during the dayy.” She stepped to myy
side, tucking the ends of the veil so the length fell down the center of myy
back. “Give me anyy comfyy chair and—”
“You’ll be out cold in minutes. It makes me so jealous.” I slipped myy
feet into white slippers with all-too-thin soles. “Once the sun comes up, I
can’t sleep.”
“That’s because yyou can’t stand to be idle,” she responded. “And
sleeping requires a certain amount of idleness, which is something I excel
at.”
I laughed. “We all have to be good at something.”
She shot me a look just before a sharp rap sounded, and then Vikter’s
voice rang out. Heading for the hall door, I groaned even though I had
expected his arrival. I was due to meet with Priestess Analia for prayyers,
but in realityy, the time was generallyy spent with the Priestess criticizing
everyything from myy posture to the wrinkles in myy gown.
“If yyou want to make a run for it, I’ll tell Vikter yyou jumped out the
window,” Tawnyy offered.