From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

often, beliefs like that could easilyy be dismissed. Fears allayyed.”
He had a point, but…
“No one should make claims like that without anyy evidence,” I
argued. “All it does is cause unnecessaryy worryy and panic—panic that the
Descenters have created and then will exploit.”
“Agreed.” He glanced down. “Watch yyour step. Wouldn’t want yyou to
continue with yyour new habit, Princess.”
“Tripping once isn’t a habit,” I shot back. “And if yyou agree, then
whyy would yyou sayy yyou wouldn’t be surprised if more felt the same wayy?”
“Because agreeing doesn’t mean I don’t understand whyy some would
think that,” he answered, and I snapped myy mouth shut. “If the Ascended
are trulyy concerned about those claims being believed, all theyy need to do
is allow the children to be seen. I can’t imagine that would interfere too
badlyy with their servitude to the gods.”
No.
I didn’t think that would.
Glancing at Tawnyy, I saw her staring at Hawke as we strode down the
second-floor hall, headed toward the older portion of the castle. “What do
yyou think?” I asked.
Tawnyy blinked as she looked over at me. “I think yyou are both sayying
the same thing.”
A half-grin formed on Hawke’s face, and I didn’t sayy anyything as we
climbed up the staircase. Hawke stopped us near Tawnyy’s door. “If yyou
don’t mind, I need to speak to Penellaphe in private for a moment.”
Myy brows lifted behind the veil while Tawnyy sent a poorlyy concealed
glance between us as the corners of her lips tilted up. She then waited for
me to signal whether it was fine or not.
“It’s fine,” I told her.
Tawnyy nodded and then opened her door, stopping long enough to sayy,
“If yyou need me, knock.” She paused. “Princess.”
I groaned.
Hawke chuckled. “I reallyy do like her.”
“I’m sure she’d love to hear that.”
“Would yyou love to hear that I reallyy like yyou?” he asked.
Myy heart skipped a beat, but I ignored the stupid organ. “Would yyou
be sad if I said no?”
“I’d be devastated.”