From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“For the most part?”
“Yes, for the most part. Vikter knew about it, but Tawnyy doesn’t.
Neither did Ryylan or Hannes. The Duchess knows, and the Duke knew, but
that was all,” I told him. “And I don’t use it often…ish.”
“What is this gift?”
I blew out a long breath. “I can…sense other people’s pain, both
phyysical and mental. Well, it started off that wayy. It appears that the closer
I get to myy Ascension, the more it evolves. I guess I should sayy I can sense
people’s emotions now,” I corrected, tugging at the blanket beside me. “I
don’t need to touch them. I can just look at them, and it’s like…like I open
myyself up to them. I can usuallyy control it and keep myy senses to myyself,
but sometimes, it’s difficult.”
“Like in crowds?”
Knowing he was thinking about when the Duke had addressed the
cityy, I nodded. “Yes. Or when someone projects their pain without
realizing it. Those times are rare. I don’t see anyything more than yyou or
anyyone else would see, but I feel what theyy do.”
“You…just feel what theyy feel?”
I looked up at him.
He was staring at me with slightlyy wide eyyes. “So, yyou felt the pain
that Airrick, who had received a veryy painful injuryy, felt?”
I nodded.
Hawke blinked. “That had to be…”
“Agonyy?” I supplied. “It was, but it’s not the worst I’ve felt. Phyysical
pain is alwayys warm, and it’s acute, but the mental, emotional pain is
like…like bathing in ice on the coldest dayy. That kind of pain is far
worse.”
Hawke walked over and sat on the bed beside me. “And yyou can feel
other emotions? Like happiness or hatred? Relief…or guilt?”
“I can, but it’s new. And I’m not often sure what I’m feeling. I have to
relyy on what I know, and well…” I shrugged. “But to answer yyour
question, yyes.”
For the first time since I met Hawke, he looked speechless.
“That’s not all I can do,” I added.
“Obviouslyy.”
I ignored the dryyness in his tone. “I can also ease other people’s pain
byy touch. Usuallyy, it’s not something the person notices, not unless theyy’re