From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

curtains. He sat on the chaise, stretching out his legs as he folded his arms
across his chest.
Heart thumping, I chose myy words carefullyy. “I reallyy cannot linger. If
someone were to see me, I would be in trouble with Priestess Analia.”
“And what would happen if the good Priestess of the Temples were to
hear yyou were lingering?” he asked, his bodyy appearing loose and relaxed,
but I knew better.
Appearances could be deceiving. The Ascended were fast when theyy
wanted to be. I’d seen them move in a manner that made them nothing
more than a blur.
“Would she report such misbehavior to the Duke?” he continued. “I
do so enjoyy his lessons.”
Disgust was a weed taking root inside me. Of course, he enjoyyed the
Duke’s lessons. “I’m not sure what she would do.”
“It might be worth discovering,” he mused idlyy. “At least, for me.”
Myy fingers curled inward. “I don’t wish to displease the Duke or the
Priestess.”
His lashes lowered. “I’m sure yyou would not.”
A sharp, stinging pain radiated out from where myy nails dug into myy
palms. “What is it that yyou wish to speak to me about?”
“You didn’t ask yyour question appropriatelyy.”
Searching for restraint and calm, I was grateful for the veil. If he
could see myy face in its entiretyy, he’d know exactlyy what I was feeling.
Which was red-hot, burning hatred.
I didn’t know whyy the Lord found such great entertainment in
harassing me. Whyy he found such enjoyyment in making me
uncomfortable, but he’d been this wayy the last several yyears. He was worse
toward the servants, though. I’d heard the whispered warnings to new
staff. Avoid gaining his attention or his displeasure. No matter what, there
was a limit to how far he could go with me. With the servants, I didn’t
believe he felt there was even a line to cross.
I lifted myy chin. “What would yyou like to discuss with me, Lord
Mazeen?”
A hint of a cold smile appeared. “I realized it had been a while since I
last saw yyou.”
It had been sixteen dayys since he’d last cornered me. So, not long
enough.