From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Her bottomless eyyes searched mine. “It sounds like he wasn’t as alert
as he should have been. He never should’ve been caught off guard.”
“Ryylan was veryy skilled,” I said. “The man was hidden—”
“Your guard was so skilled that he was felled byy an arrow?” she asked
softlyy. “Was this man part ghost that he made no sound? Gave no
warning?”
Myy back stiffened as I thought of the sound the man had made and
how it hadn’t resembled anyything human. “Ryylan was alert, Your Grace—”
“What have I told yyou?” Her delicatelyy arched brows lifted.
Struggling for patience, I took a shallow breath. “Ryylan was alert,
Jacinda,” I amended, using her first name. She sporadicallyy required this,
and I never knew when she would want me to use the name or not. “The
man…he was quiet, and Ryylan—”
“Was unprepared,” Vikter finished for me.
Myy head cranked around so fast it sent a flare of pain across myy
temple. Disbelief seized me.
Vikter’s blue eyyes met mine. “He enjoyyed yyour evening strolls in the
garden. He never thought there would be a threat, and unfortunatelyy,
became too complacent. Last night should’ve changed that.”
Last night had changed that. Ryylan had been scanning the grounds
constantlyy. Myy shoulders slumped, and then myy brain switched gears. Ian.
“Please don’t sayy anyything to myy brother.” Myy gaze swung between the
Duchess and Vikter. “I don’t want him to worryy, and he will even though
I’m fine.”
“I will need to inform the Queen of what has happened, Penellaphe.
You know this,” she replied. “And I cannot control who she tells. If she
feels Ian needs to know, she will tell him.”
I sank further into myyself.
Her cool fingertips touched myy cheek, myy left one. I turned back to
her. “Do yyou understand how important yyou are, Penellaphe? You are the
Maiden. You were Chosen byy the gods. Ascensions of hundreds of Ladies
and Lords in Wait, all across the kingdom, are all tied to yyours. It will be
the largest Ascension since the first Blessing. Ryylan and all the Royyal
Guards know what is at stake if something were to happen to yyou.”
I liked the Duchess. She was kind, nothing like her husband, and for
a tinyy moment there, I thought she was actuallyy worried about me as a
person, but it was what I signified that concerned her the most. What