From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Forcing a smile, I tightened myy grip on the hilt of the dagger and did
another thing that should end with me being hauled to the Temple but
hadn’t yyet because this wasn’t the first time I’d revealed myyself to the
dyying. “I am the Maiden.”
His chest rose with a sharp inhale, and he closed his eyyes. A tremor
coursed through him. “You’re the Chosen, ‘born in the shroud of the gods,
protected even inside the womb, veiled from birth.’”
That was me.
“You…yyou are here for me.” His eyyes opened, and I noticed the red
had spread until onlyy a hint of blue remained. “You will…give me
dignityy.”
I nodded.
Anyyone cursed byy a Craven’s bite did not die in their beds quietlyy and
as peacefullyy as possible. Theyy were not afforded that kindness or
syympathyy. Instead, theyy were generallyy dragged to the town square to be
burned alive in front of a mass of citizens. It didn’t matter that most
became cursed either protecting those who cheered their horrific demise or
working to better the kingdom.
Marlowe’s gaze shifted to the closed door behind me. “She’s…she’s a
good woman.”
“She said yyou’re a good man.”
Those eerie eyyes tracked back to me. “I won’t be a—” His upper lip
curled, revealing one deadlyy sharp tooth. “I won’t be a good man much
longer.”
“No, yyou won’t be.”
“I…I tried to do it myyself, but…”
“It’s okayy.” Slowlyy, I pulled the dagger out from under myy cloak. The
glow of the nearbyy candle glittered off the deep red blade.
Marlowe eyyed the dagger. “Bloodstone.”
Before anyy signs of the curse, a mortal could be killed in anyy number
of wayys, but once there were signs, onlyy fire and bloodstone could kill the
cursed. Onlyy bloodstone or wood sharpened into a stake from the Blood
Forest could kill a fullyy turned Craven.
“I just…I just wanted to sayy goodbyye.” He shuddered. “That was all.”
“I understand,” I told him, even though I wished he hadn’t returned
here, but I didn’t have to agree with his actions to understand them. His