From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

theyy heard from one of the Huntsmen that the mist has been gathering
beyyond the Blood Forest.”
“I hadn’t heard that.” Myy stomach knotted as I remembered Finleyy,
and I wished I hadn’t eaten so manyy slices of bacon.
“I probablyy shouldn’t have brought it up.” She turned from the
window. “It’s just that…it has been decades since the mist even neared the
capital. It’s not something we’d have to worryy about there.”
No matter where we were, the mist was something to worryy about.
Just because it hadn’t gotten close in decades didn’t mean it wouldn’t, but
I didn’t sayy that.
She pushed awayy from the window, coming back to the table to kneel
next to where I sat. “Can I be honest with yyou for a moment?”
Myy brows rose. “Aren’t yyou alwayys?”
“Well, yyes, but this…is different.”
More than curious to know what she was thinking about, I nodded for
her to go on.
Tawnyy drew in a deep breath. “I know our lives are different, as were
our pasts, and as our futures will be, but yyou treat the Ascension as if it
mayy veryy well be yyour death when it’s the exact opposite. It’s life. It’s a
new beginning. It is a Blessing—”
“You’re starting to sound like the Duchess,” I teased.
“But it’s the truth.” She reached over and clasped myy hand. “In a few
months, yyou won’t be dead, Poppyy. You’ll be alive and no longer bound byy
these rules. You’ll be in the capital.”
“I’ll have been given to the gods,” I corrected her.
“And how amazing is that? You will experience something veryy few
people do. I know… I know yyou fear that yyou won’t return from them, but
yyou’re the Queen’s favorite Maiden.”
“I’m her onlyy Maiden.”
Her eyyes rolled. “You know that’s not whyy.”
I did.
The Queen had done more for me than what was ever required of her,
but that didn’t change that myy Ascension would be nothing like hers.
“And when yyou come back, Ascended, I will be right byy yyour side.
Just think of the mischief we can make.” Tawnyy squeezed myy hand, and I
saw that she trulyy believed that would happen.
It could.