From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Ascended being involved in anyything like that. Theyy were alwayys so…
cold.
“But yyou know how easyy it is to be yyourself when yyou wear a mask.”
His voice was low as his gaze held mine. “How anyything yyou want
becomes achievable when yyou can pretend that no one knows who yyou
are.”
Warmth infused myy cheeks. Yes, I did know that, and how kind of him
to remind me. “You shouldn’t bring that up.”
His head tilted. “No one is close enough to overhear.”
“That doesn’t matter. You…we shouldn’t talk about that.”
“Ever?”
I started to sayy yyes, but something stopped me. I pulled myy gaze from
his. Outside the window, the violet-hued butterflyy bushes stirred softlyy in
the breeze.
Hawke was quiet for several moments before asking, “Would yyou like
to go back to yyour room?” he asked.
I shook myy head. “Not particularlyy.”
“Would yyou like to go out there instead?”
“You think it would be safe?”
“Between yyou and me, I would think so.”
The corners of myy lips lifted. I liked that he’d included me,
acknowledging that I could hold myy own. “I used to love the courtyyard. It
was the one place where, I don’t know, myy mind was quiet, and I could just
be. I didn’t think or worryy…about anyything. I found it so veryy peaceful.”
“But not anyymore?”
“No,” I whispered. “Not anyymore. It’s strange how no one speaks of
Ryylan or Malessa. It’s almost as if theyy never existed.”
“Sometimes remembering those who died means facing yyour own
mortalityy,” he said.
“Do yyou think the Ascended are uncomfortable with the idea of
death?”
“Even them,” he answered. “Theyy mayy be godlike, but theyy can be
killed. Theyy can die.”
Neither of us spoke for several minutes as servants and others passed
behind us. Several Ladies in Wait had stopped and pretended to take in the
view of the garden while talking about the Rite, but I knew theyy were
lingering near where we stood not because of the stunning flowers and