From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

ones theyy didn’t completelyy drain dryy. How in the world would theyy have
been able to keep that a secret? People would find out.
People could’ve found out alreadyy.
That is if that knowledge is what drove the Descenters to support the
fallen kingdom of Atlantia.
I shook myy head.
But that would mean that everyy Ascended was aware of what was
happening. That not a single one had refused the Ascension once learning
what it would cost. Not even myy brother.
Our mother, though, she had refused the Ascension.
Myy heart tripped over itself.
She’d refused because she’d loved myy father. Not because she’d
learned the truth and had passed on it. She’d refused because of love, and
the Dark One had still killed her.
Unless…unless the Duchess had lied about that. But whyy? Whyy
would she have lied? The Dark One, Prince Casteel, controlled the Craven.
Except did the Craven appear as if theyy were controlled byy anyything
but hunger? Never once had I seen them stop in the middle of an attack or
displayy anyy true level of cognitive thinking.
But if that wasn’t true, if the Dark One couldn’t control them, then
did that mean the Ascended were using them to control the populace? To
stop them from asking too manyy questions, and make them willing to hand
over their children so the gods wouldn’t become displeased, exposing their
cities to a Craven attack?
It almost felt like I’d be struck down for even questioning that.
Because Hawke was right. It was a religion.
I started pacing again.
How did the Craven make it to a town that hadn’t seen an attack in
decades the moment I arrived with myy familyy unless the Dark One had
sent them?
It didn’t make anyy sense, and all of this back and forth was starting to
make myy head hurt. Even if some of what Hawke had claimed was true, it
didn’t change that theyy were still responsible for so much death
themselves.
It couldn’t all be true, because there was no wayy myy soft, gentle
brother would’ve Ascended if he knew what was being done. There was no
wayy.