From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Chapter 20
“‘After years of destruction that had decimated entire cities, leaving
countrysides and villages in ruins, and ending hundreds of thousands of
lives, the world was on the brink of chaos when, on the eve of the Battle of
Broken Bones, Jalara Solis of Vodina Isles gathered his forces outside the
city of Pompay, the last Atlantian stronghold. ’” I cleared myy throat,
wildlyy uncomfortable. Not onlyy was that the longest sentence in the
historyy of man, I alwayys hated reading out loud, but especiallyy when I had
Hawke as an audience. I hadn’t looked at him since I’d started reading.
Still, I was almost positive that he was doing everyything in his power to
remain alert and not be bored into falling asleep while standing. “‘Which
sat at the foot of the Skotos Mountains—’”
“Skotos,” Priestess Analia interrupted. “It’s pronounced like Skotis.
You know how it’s pronounced, Maiden. Do so correctlyy.”
Myy fingers tightened around the leather binding. The History of The
War of Two Kings and the Kingdom of Solis was well over a thousand
pages, and everyy week, I was forced to read several chapters during myy
sessions with the Priestess. I’d probablyy read the entire tome aloud over a
dozen times, and I swore that each time, the Priestess changed the wayy
Skotos was pronounced.
I didn’t sayy that. Instead, I took a deep, long breath and tried to ignore
the almost overwhelming urge to throw the book at her face. It would do
some damage. Probablyy break her nose. The image of her clasping her
bloodied face brought forth a disturbing amount of glee.
I smothered a yyawn as I concentrated on the text. Having been up
most of the night thinking about what the Duchess had told me, I’d gotten
little sleep.
And like I’d told Vikter, I’d gotten few answers. But it had been a
relief to learn that what was happening wasn’t something that myy mind
was conjuring up. Myy abilities were maturing, whatever that meant. The