From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“I think yyou’re forgetting something,” he said, tapping a finger on his
bearded cheek.
Myy veil.
Good gods, I’d almost walked out into the hall without it or a hood.
Other than myy guardians—the Duke and Duchess—and Tawnyy, onlyy Vikter
and Ryylan were allowed to see me without myy veil. Well, the Queen and
King could, and Ian was permitted, but obviouslyy, theyy weren’t here. If
anyyone else had been in the hall, theyy would’ve possiblyy fallen over in a
dead faint.
“I’ll be right back!”
His grin increased as I whipped around and hurried back into the
room, slipping the veil over myy head. It took a little more than a couple of
minutes to clasp all the little chains so it was secured in place. Tawnyy was
so much faster at it than I was.
I started back out—
“Shoes, Pen. You should put some shoes on.”
Looking down at myyself, I let out a veryy unladyylike groan. “Gods!
One moment.”
Ryylan chuckled.
Totallyy scatterbrained, I toed on myy well-worn shoes, which were
nothing more than satin and a thin leather sole, and then reopened the door.
“Having a bad dayy?” Ryylan mused as he joined me in myy room.
“Having a weird dayy,” I countered, heading for the old servants’
access. “A forgetful one.”
“It must be for yyou to not realize the time.”
Ryylan was right. Unless something was going on, both he and Vikter
were alwayys readyy for me just before dusk.
Our pace was quick as we hurried down the narrow, dustyy staircase. It
emptied out into an area beside the kitchen, and while we took the old
access to avoid being seen as much as possible, it wasn’t completelyy
avoidable. Kitchen servants stopped mid-step as Ryylan and I passed them,
their brown garb and white caps making them nearlyy indistinguishable
from one another. I heard a basket of potatoes hit the floor and the harsh,
biting reprimand. Out of the corner of myy eyye, I saw blurred faces bow
their heads as if theyy were prayying.
I swallowed a groan while Ryylan did what he alwayys did and
pretended that there was nothing off about their behavior.