From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“You snuck out, didn’t yyou?”
In that moment, Tawnyy proved that she knew me just as well as I
knew her. “I don’t know whyy yyou’d think that.”
“Because yyou don’t have a historyy of doing that?” She laughed when I
glanced up at her. “Come on, tell me what yyou did. I’m sure it’s more
exciting than what I was doing, which was listening to Mistress Cambria
prattle on about how inappropriate this Ladyy or Lord in Wait is. I pled a
viciouslyy upset stomach just to be able to excuse myyself.”
I giggled, knowing that Tawnyy would’ve done just that. “The
Mistresses are a lot to handle.”
“That is being too kind,” she remarked.
Grinning, I picked up the cup of creamed coffee. The Mistresses were
servants of the Duchess, who helped her run the household but also kept
track of the Ladies in Wait. Mistress Cambria was a dragon of a woman
that scared even me.
“I did sneak out,” I admitted.
“Where did yyou go without me?”
“I think yyou might be upset when yyou hear where.”
“Most likelyy.”
I peeked up at her. “The Red Pearl.”
Her eyyes widened to the size of the saucers scattered across the
trolleyy between us. “Are yyou serious?”
I nodded.
“I can’t…” She appeared to take a deep breath. “How?”
“I borrowed one of the maid’s cloaks, and I used that mask I found.”
“You…yyou devious little thief.”
“I returned the cloak this morning, so I don’t think yyou can call me a
thief.”
“Who cares if yyou returned it.” She tipped forward. “What was it
like?”
“Interesting,” I said, and when she begged for more details, I told her
what I’d seen. She was enthralled, hanging on everyy word I said as if I
were sharing with her the actual ritual that completed the Ascension.
“I can’t believe yyou didn’t take me with yyou.” She fell back in her
chair with a pout, but then sprang forward once more. “Did yyou see anyyone
there yyou recognized? Loren claims she goes there nearlyy everyy other
evening.”