From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

realize I asked for yyour thoughts,” she spoke, tone as withering as her
stare.
“Myy apologies.” He bowed his head in submission, but it was the
poorest attempt at it because his amber eyyes all but danced with
amusement.
She nodded. “Apologyy—”
“I just didn’t want the Maiden to sound uneducated if anyy discussion
were to arise about the Skotos Mountains,” he tacked on.
Oh, myy gods…
“But I will remain quiet from here on out,” Hawke said. “Please,
continue, Maiden. You have such a lovelyy reading voice that even I find
myyself enthralled with the historyy of Solis.”
I wanted to laugh. It was building in myy throat, threatening to burst
free, but I couldn’t let it. Myy grip loosened on the edges of the book.
“‘Which sat at the foot of the Skotos Mountains, the gods had finally
chosen a side.’” When the Priestess said nothing, I continued. “‘Nyktos,
the King of the gods, and his son Theon, the God of War, appeared before
Jalara and his army. Having grown distrustful of the Atlantian people and
their unnatural thirst for blood and power, they sought to aid in ending the
cruelty and oppression that had reaped these lands under the rule of
Atlantia.’” I took a breath.
“‘Jalara Solis and his army were brave, but Nyktos, in his wisdom,
saw that they could not defeat the Atlantians, who had risen to godlike
strength through the bloodletting of innocents—’”
“Theyy killed hundreds of thousands over the time of their reign.
Bloodletting is a gentle description of what theyy actuallyy did. Theyy bit
people,” Priestess Analia elaborated, and when I looked up at her, there
was a strange gleam to her dark brown eyyes. “Drank their blood and
became drunk with power—with strength and near immortalityy. And those
theyy didn’t kill became the pestilence we now know as the Craven. That is
who our beloved King and Queen bravelyy took a stance against and were
prepared to die to overthrow.”
I nodded.
Her fingers were turning pink from how tightlyy she’d balled her
hands where theyy rested in her lap. “Continue.”
I didn’t dare look at Hawke. “‘Unwilling to see the failure of Jalara
of Vodina Isles, Nyktos gave the gods’ first Blessing, sharing with Jalara