From Blood and Ash (Blood And Ash #1) - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,168

it. I figure a lot of it has to do with your brother and friend.” When Hawke said nothing, I thought I’d said too much. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have used my gift on you, and I probably should’ve just lied—”

“Have you eased my pain before?”

I flattened my hands on my legs. “I have.”

“Twice. Right? After you were with the Priestess, and the night of the Rite.”

I nodded.

“Well, now I understand why I felt…lighter. The first time it lasted—damn, it lasted for a while. Got the best sleep in years.” He coughed out a short laugh, and I peeked over at him. “Too bad that can’t be bottled and sold.”

I wasn’t sure what to say.

“Why?” he demanded. “Why did you take my pain? Yes, I do…feel sadness. I miss my brother with every breath I take. His absence haunts me, but it’s manageable.”

“I know. You don’t let it interfere with your life, but I…I didn’t like knowing that you were hurting,” I admitted. “And I could help, at least temporarily. I just wanted—”

“What?”

“I wanted to help. I wanted to use my gift to help people.”

“And you have? More than just me and Airrick?”

“I have. Those who are cursed? I often ease their pain. And Vikter would get terrible headaches. I would sometimes help him with those. And Tawny, but she never knew.”

“That’s how the rumors got started. You’re doing it to help the cursed.”

“And their families sometimes. They often feel such sorrow that I have to.”

“But you’re not allowed.”

“No, and it seems so stupid that I can’t.” I threw up my hands. “That I’m not supposed to. The reason doesn’t even make sense. Wouldn’t the gods have already found me worthy to have given me this gift?” I reasoned.

“One would think so.” He paused. “Can your brother do this? Anyone else in your family?”

“No. It’s only me, and the last Maiden. We were both born in a shroud,” I told him. “And my mother realized what I could do around the age of three or four.”

He frowned and went back to staring at me like I was a puzzle missing pieces.

“What?”

Shaking his head, his expression smoothed out. “Are you reading me now?”

“No. I seriously try not to, even when I really want to. Doing so feels like cheating when it’s someone I…” I trailed off. I was going to say: “when it’s someone I care about.”

My stomach twisted as my wide-eyed gaze swung back to him. I cared about Hawke. A lot. Not in the same way I cared about Tawny or Vikter, though. It was different.

Oh, gods.

That probably wasn’t a good thing, but it didn’t feel bad. It felt like anticipation and hope, excitement and a hundred other things that weren’t bad.

“Now, I wish I had your gift because I would love to know what you’re feeling at this moment.”

I couldn’t be grateful that he didn’t know. “I feel nothing from the Ascended,” I blurted out. “Absolutely nothing, even though I know they feel physical pain.”

“That’s…”

“Weird, right?”

“I was going to say disturbing, but sure, it’s weird.”

“You know?” I leaned in, lowering my voice. “It always bothered me that I couldn’t feel anything. It should be a relief, but it never was. It just made me feel…cold.”

“I can see that.” He inched forward, lowering his voice, too. “I should thank you.”

“For what?”

“For easing my pain.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know, but I want to,” he said, his mouth so incredibly close to mine. “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.” My eyes drifted halfway shut. He smelled like pine and soap, and his breath was so warm on my lips.

“I was right.”

“About what?”

“About you being brave and strong,” he explained. “You risk a lot when you use your gift.”

“I don’t think I’ve risked enough,” I admitted. “I couldn’t help Vikter. I was too…overwhelmed. Maybe if I wasn’t fighting it so much, I would’ve at least taken his pain.”

“But you took Airrick’s. You helped him.” He dipped his head, and his brow kissed mine. “You are utterly nothing like I expected.”

“You keep saying that. What did you expect?”

“I honestly don’t know anymore.”

My eyes closed, discovering that I liked this closeness. I liked being…touched when it was my choice.

“Poppy?”

I also liked the way he said my name. “Yes?”

He touched my cheek with his fingers. “I hope you realize that no matter what anyone has ever told you, you are more worthy than anyone I’ve ever met.”

My heart squeezed in the best way. “You haven’t met enough people, then.”

“I have met too many.” He lifted his chin, kissing