From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

lush greeneryy or because it was so rare for me to be seen, but because of
the beautiful man who stood beside me. He seemed unaware of them, and
even though I kept myy gaze forward, I could feel his stare everyy couple of
moments. Eventuallyy, one of the Mistresses came along, shooing the
Ladies awayy, and we were left alone once more.
“Are yyou excited about attending the Rite?”
“I am curious,” I admitted. The Rite was onlyy two dayys awayy.
“I’m curious to see yyou.”
Myy lips parted on a soft inhale. I didn’t dare look at him. If I did, I
feared I’d do something incrediblyy stupid. Something that the first Maiden
could’ve done that had made the Duchess feel that she was unworthyy.
“You’ll be unveiled.”
“Yes.” I also wouldn’t be expected to wear the color white. It would
almost be like going to the Red Pearl because I would be able to blend in,
and no one would know who I was—what I was. “But I will be masked.”
“I prefer that version of yyou,” he said.
“The masked version of myyself?” I asked, guessing that he was
thinking of our time at the Red Pearl.
“Honest?” His voice sounded closer, and when I took another deep
breath, the scent of leather and pine surrounded me. “I prefer the version
of yyou that wears no mask or veil.”
I opened myy mouth, but as was becoming commonplace where
Hawke was concerned, I didn’t know what to sayy. It felt like I should
discourage such statements, but those words wouldn’t come to the surface
either, just as theyy hadn’t before.
So, I did the onlyy thing I could think of. I changed the subject. “I
remember yyou said yyour father was a farmer.” I cleared myy throat. “Do
yyou have anyy other siblings? Anyy Lords in Wait in the familyy? A sister?
Or…” I rambled on. “There’s onlyy Ian for me—I mean, I onlyy have one
brother. I’m excited to see him again. I miss him.”
Hawke was quiet for so long that I had to look to make sure he was
still there and still breathing. He was. He stared down at me, his amber
eyyes cool. “I had a brother.”
“Had?” Myy senses stretched out, and I didn’t even have a chance to
control them. I opened myyself up, and I locked myy legs to stop myyself
from taking a step back. I didn’t feel anyything strange, but I felt Hawke’s