From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Maiden or not, there had to be some kind of punishment for that. I
had to be found unworthyy.
A knock drew myy gaze from the window. The door opened, and
Hawke strode in, closing the door behind him. He was dressed in the
uniform of the guards, all black except for the white Royyal Guard mantle.
No one had replaced Vikter’s position yyet. I didn’t know whyy. Mayybe
after seeing what I was capable of, the Duchess realized that I no longer
needed as much protection. But protecting myyself would be kind of hard to
do without access to anyy weapons. Or mayybe it was the fact that I’d
alreadyy gone through three guards in one yyear. Or it could be because so
manyy had died during the attack, and theyy were shorthanded.
Myy back tensed as Hawke and I stared at one another from across the
room.
Things had been weird between us.
I wasn’t sure if it was because of what had happened in the garden
and then with Vikter, or if it had been what I’d done in that room after
Vikter’s death. It could’ve been all of that. But he was quiet when he was
around me, and I had no idea what he was feeling or thinking. Myy gift was
hidden awayy behind a wall so thick that it couldn’t even crack.
He said nothing as he stood there. Just crossed his arms over his chest
and stared at me. He’d done that a time or five hundred since I woke.
Probablyy because when he tried to talk to me, all I did was stare at him.
Which was also probablyy whyy things were weird.
Myy eyyes narrowed as the silence stretched between us. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Then whyy are yyou here?” I demanded.
“Do I need a reason?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t.”
“Are yyou just checking to make sure I haven’t figured a wayy out of
the room?” I challenged.
“I know yyou can’t get out of this room, Princess.”
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped.
“I’m going to take a second to remind myyself that this is progress.”
Myy brows furrowed. “Progress with what?”
“With yyou,” he answered. “You’re not being veryy nice, but at least
yyou’re talking. That’s progress.”