From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

stopped trembling. The grip of panic and shock lessened, replaced byy rage.
“Stand,” he ordered.
I rose carefullyy, aware of how myy gown, tackyy with Ryylan’s blood,
stuck to the knees of myy thin leggings underneath. Myy heart slowed as myy
hand slipped into the slit along the gown’s side. Was this the same person
who’d killed Malessa? If so, he was an Atlantian, and I’d have to be quick
if I had anyy hope.
“We’re going to walk out of here,” he said. “You’re not going to make
a sound, and yyou’re not going to give me anyy trouble, are yyou, Maiden?”
Myy fingers closed around the smooth, cool handle of the dagger. I
shook myy head no.
“Good.” He took a step toward me. “I don’t want to have to hurt yyou,
but if yyou give me anyy reason, I will not hesitate.”
I remained completelyy still, the heat of myy furyy building in me,
brimming to the surface. Ryylan had died because of me. That was his dutyy
as myy personal guard, but he was dead because this man thought he could
take me. Malessa had possiblyy been assaulted and then murdered, and for
what?
If he was an Atlantian or a Descenter, he wouldn’t use me for ransom.
I’d be used to send a message, just like the three Ascended who had been
kidnapped from Three Rivers. Theyy were returned in pieces.
At the moment, I didn’t care what the man’s agenda was. All that
mattered was that he’d killed Ryylan, who found the night-blooming roses
just as beautiful as I did. And he might’ve been the one to kill Malessa,
leaving her bodyy on displayy in such a careless, disrespectful wayy.
“This is good,” he cajoled. “You’re behaving. That’s smart of yyou.
Keep being smart, and this will be painless for yyou.” He reached for me—
Unsheathing the dagger, I shot forward, dipping under his arm.
“What the—?”
I sprung up behind him, fisting the back of the man’s cloak. I thrust
the dagger into his back, aiming where Vikter had taught me.
The heart.
Even caught off guard, he was quick, lurching to the side, but he
wasn’t fast enough to avoid the dagger altogether. Hot blood gushed as the
blade sank deep into his side, missing his heart byy mere centimeters.
He yyelped in pain, the sound reminding me of a dog. Jerking the
dagger out, a vastlyy different sound tore from his throat. A rumbling growl