From Blood and Ash

A large battle scene ensues. Penellaphe notices that these Craven seem different, as if they are not yet fully turned. After waves of Craven threaten the safety of the kingdom, the mist begins to clear and reveal the fallen soldiers. While surveying the land, a voice startles her. She turns quickly and finds herself face to face once more with Hawke. Hawke calls her magnificent and beautiful. After looking Penellaphe in her eyes, Hawke’s gaze changes. The two engage in a small fight.

After Hawke corners her, Penellaphe finally speaks, demanding to be let free. Her rebellious nature and ability to fight intrigue Hawke. Hawke becomes physical and calls Penellaphe “princess,” revealing that he recognizes her, and he did come back to the room that night at the Red Pearl.

Hawke comes to Penellaphe’s room that night demanding they finish their conversation from earlier. He states that it’s necessary he know everything about the woman he is duty bound to protect. He correctly assumes that Vikter was the one who taught Penellaphe how to fight and gifted her the Bloodstone dagger. He also suspects the Duke is abusing her in some way, but Penellaphe refuses to answer.

During their conversation, Penellaphe tells the story of her parents’ death. Her family was moving to the Niel Valley for a “quieter life,” yet both her parents appeared very tense. They stopped for the night in a village that hadn’t seen a Craven attack in decades. Penellaphe states that the Dark One, sensing the Chosen One was outside of the capital and unprotected, sent Craven to attack her family. Both her parents died fighting, and Penellaphe survived the bite of a Craven, something that is unheard of. She blames herself for not being able to protect her loved ones and vows to never be helpless again.

Hawke states that he has heard rumors of the Maiden taking part in death with dignity. He reveals that he, too, has done the same, saying that those who come back cursed have already given all they have to the kingdom. The pair admit that they share an intimate, but unexplainable bond.

Penellaphe attends a ceremony to honor the dead Royal Guards. The Duke addresses the crowd, exclaiming that it’s the gods who have kept the Rise safe. Penellaphe wonders exactly how the gods had any hand in keeping the Rise safe thinking, “It has been the guards, men like the archer, who had chosen death over allowing the Craven to come over the top” (215). Penellaphe remarks that the Ascended are stronger than mere mortals and could have taken double the number of Craven than any Royal Guard. The Duchess warns the kingdom that the gods are unhappy. She cautions that Descenters are among them. Penellaphe feels the crowd’s collective emotion of terror and fear.

Penellaphe notices the same blond man from the city council in the crowd. After a roar of applause for the next Rite, the blond man shouts, “Where are the third and fourth sons and daughters? Where are they really!” (221). He throws a severed Craven hand at the Duke and Duchess. The guards detain the young man as he chants “From blood and ash. We will rise!” (221). The Duke laughs.

Penellaphe decides to speak to the Duchess about the odd occurrences in her powers. No longer is Penellaphe only feeling pain, she is feeling emotions. In a strange request, the Duchess asks Penellaphe to use her gift on her. The Ascended lack emotions entirely, yet Penellaphe senses that the Duchess worries she may feel something. The Duchess relays that Penellaphe’s gift is maturing, just like the first Maiden. She cautions Penellaphe to be careful and to make wise decisions. She reveals that the first Maiden underwent a similar maturing which resulted in her death at the hands of the Dark One.

Penellaphe is in a lesson with Priestess Analia. She reads about the first Blessing from The History of The War of Two Kings and the Kingdom Solis. In this passage, King Jalara drinks the blood of the gods so that he may have the strength to defeat the Atlantians. Penellaphe comments that, “the Blessing seems similar to how the Atlantians became so powerful. They drank the blood of the innocent, and the Ascended drank the blood of the gods […]” (234). Priestess Analia is infuriated and, just as she is about to slap Penellaphe, Hawke intervenes. The lesson ends.

As Penellaphe and Hawke walk towards the garden, Hawke asks if this is common behavior from the Priestess. Penellaphe says that both the Priestess and the Duke struggle to control their anger. The two speak about Penellaphe’s Ascension and the next Rite. Hawke asks if Penellaphe really wants to Ascend, pointing out that the honor actually comes with very few benefits. While sitting in the garden, Hawke speaks about his brother. Penellaphe senses horrible anguish and uses her powers to ease Hawke’s suffering. She incorrectly assumes that Hawke’s brother has passed and wonders what could have happened instead that causes him such pain.