From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Chapter 29
Within a few hours of our trek across the Barren Plains, I no longer had to
relyy on myy imagination to know what Hawke had meant when he’d said
that I’d be riding with him.
There was little space between our bodies. It hadn’t started out that
wayy as the heavyy doors of the Rise had opened and we passed the torches.
Aware that the men traveling with us knew who I was, I sat straight and
desperatelyy ignored the feeling of Hawke’s arm around myy waist, but the
pace was hard. It wasn’t a dead run, but unused to how a horse moved, the
stiff position quicklyy became awkward and painful. With each passing
hour, I ended up closer to Hawke until myy back was pressed to his chest,
and myy hips were cradled byy his thighs. The hood of myy cloak had slipped
at some point, and I left it down, partlyy because I wanted to feel the wind
on myy face.
And in part because I could feel Hawke’s warm breath against myy
cheek everyy time he leaned down to speak to me.
I’d been right. For a Maiden, this was whollyy inappropriate. Or, at
least the wayy it felt to be held byy him was inappropriate for a Maiden.
But after a while, I relaxed and cherished the sensation of being in his
arms, knowing that when we reached our destination, this would be over,
no matter how well Hawke believed his skills were.
Things would be different in the capital.
I stared out over the emptyy land. At one time, there’d been farms
here, and inns where people could stop and rest. But now, there was
nothing but endless grass, bent and twisted trees, and tall reeds climbing
over the broken ruins of farmhouses and taverns.
I was convinced that everyyone we passed was haunted.
The Craven had destroyyed the Plains, tainting once fertile ground
with blood, and slaughtering anyyone who dared to set down roots outside
the Rise.