From Blood and Ash (Blood And Ash #1) - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,146

your reasons.”

My mouth dropped open.

The Duchess leaned back as she picked up a quill. “I’ve known Bran for many, many years, and there is very little about his…personality that I am unaware of. I had hoped that he would’ve known better given what you are. Apparently, I was wrong.”

I tipped forward. “Did you—?”

“I would not ask that question,” she interrupted, her unflinching stare locking on mine. “You would not like my answer, nor would you understand. Neither would I expect you to. Take this as a much-needed lesson, Penellaphe. Some truths do nothing but destroy and decay what they do not obliterate. Truths do not always set one free. Only a fool who has spent their entire life being fed lies believes that.”

Chest rising and falling, I snapped my mouth shut and sat back. She knew. She’d always known about the Lord and the Duke. Maybe not what they’d done exactly, but she knew. My fingers dug into the skirt of my gown.

“You’re the Maiden,” she continued. “That is why you will not be punished. Count your blessings, and do not speak of them ever again.” A muscle twitched under her eye. “And do yourself a favor. Do not waste another moment thinking of either of them. I know I will not.”

I stared at her as her white-knuckled grip on the quill eased. It struck me then. If the Duke had treated me as he did, why had I assumed he would treat his wife any differently? After all, I’d never seen them being loving towards one another, and that went beyond the almost cool nature of the Ascended. I’d never seen them touch. Being an Ascended didn’t mean you were no longer in a position to be abused.

Lowering my gaze, I nodded. “When…when do I leave for the capital?”

“Tomorrow morning,” she answered. “You will leave with the rise of the sun.”

Chapter 28

“I am not leaving Tawny here,” I stated, squaring off with Hawke. “There is no way.”

“She is not coming with us.” His eyes flashed a fiery amber. “I’m sorry, but no.”

We were in my chambers no more than thirty minutes after we’d left the Duchess’s office. We also had an audience. Tawny was there. So was the Commander, but it was like they weren’t even in the same building.

Hawke and I had been arguing for the last ten minutes.

“It’s a good thing you’re not the one in charge,” I pointed out, turning to the Commander. “I need—”

“I’m sorry, Maiden, but I am not traveling with you.” Commander Jansen stepped into the room from the doorway. “Only a small group is going, but Hawke is your personal Royal Guard. He takes the lead.”

“How can he possibly take the lead?” I almost shouted. “He hasn’t even been my Royal Guard for that long.”

“But he is your only Royal Guard.”

That statement threatened to sting, so I whirled on Hawke and did the only completely immature thing I could. I took it out on him. “You seriously expect me to leave her here? Where Descenters are murdering people left and right?”

“You seriously expect me to bring her out beyond the Rise?”

Tawny stepped forward. “If I may—”

“Yes!” I exclaimed. “You’re taking me out beyond the Rise.”

“Exactly. Only a handful of guards can be spared to escort you. All of them will be focused on keeping you safe. Not her.”

“I can—”

“I know you can protect yourself. Everyone in this room knows that, trust me, but we’re going out there, Princess. Out beyond the Rise. Do you know the path we will have to take?” he demanded. “We’ll have to travel through the Barren Plains and the Blood Forest.”

Trepidation had my stomach dipping. “I know.”

“And we will also be traveling through areas heavily populated by Descenters. This will not be a smooth trip, and I will not risk your safety,” he said as he glared down at me. Gone was the Hawke who’d held me so tightly and so tenderly only hours before. In his place was…

In his place was a Royal Guard Vikter would’ve been proud of. There was no stopping that sting. Hawke wasn’t my friend or…or whatever he was to me in this moment. He was a Royal Guard duty-bound to keep me alive and deliver me safely to the Queen and King.

He dipped his chin, eyes latched to mine. “If we take Tawny with us, we may as well just send her ahead and use her as Craven bait.”

I gaped at him. “That was possibly the most absurd statement ever.”

“No more