From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Chapter 31
When I woke just before dawn, I couldn’t believe how soundlyy and deeplyy
I’d slept. It was as if I hadn’t been lyying on the hard ground but in the
lushest of beds.
I didn’t think I would’ve woken up on myy own if it hadn’t been for
the sound of hushed conversation near me.
“We made it farther than I thought we would,” Hawke said, his voice
low. “We should reach Three Rivers before nightfall.”
“We can’t stayy there,” came the response, and I recognized Kieran’s
voice. “You know that.”
There was a lot of Descenter activityy at Three Rivers, so that made
sense. I blinked open myy eyyes. Through the gloom, I saw them standing a
few feet from me. I flushed when myy gaze lifted to Hawke. There wasn’t
much I could see of his face, but I thought about what we’d done.
“I know.” Hawke’s arms were crossed. “If we break halfwayy to Three
Rivers, we can ride through the night and make it to New Haven byy
morning.”
“You readyy for that?” Kieran asked, and myy brows knitted.
“Whyy wouldn’t I be?”
“You think I haven’t noticed what’s been going on?”
Myy heart kicked against myy chest. Immediatelyy, myy mind conjured up
the image of Kieran patrolling while Hawke had whispered such indecent,
wicked words in myy ear. Had Kieran seen us?
Oh gods. Myy skin prickled and turned hot, but under the
embarrassment, I was surprised to find there wasn’t a single ounce of
regret. I wouldn’t take back a second of what I felt.
Hawke didn’t answer, and myy mind quicklyy went to the worst-case
scenarios. Did he regret it? What we’d done wasn’t just forbidden for me.
While I wasn’t aware of the exact rules established for Royyal Guards, I