From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

would be lost if something were to happen to me. It wasn’t just myy life,
but the future of hundreds of those who were about to Ascend.
The worst part was the twinge of sadness when I should’ve known
better.
“If the Descenters were to somehow stop that Ascension, it would be
their greatest triumph.” She rose, smoothing her hands over her gown. “It
would be such a cruel strike against our Queen and King and the gods.”
“You…yyou think he was a Descenter, then?” Tawnyy asked. “That he
wasn’t tryying to take her for ransom?”
“The arrow used on Ryylan was marked,” Vikter answered. “It carried
the Dark One’s promise.”
His promise.
Air lodged in myy throat as myy gaze swung to Tawnyy’s. I knew what
that meant.
From Blood and Ash
We Shall Rise.
It was his promise to his people and his supporters, to those scattered
across the kingdom, that theyy would rise once more. A promise that had
been scrawled across vandalized storefronts in everyy cityy and had been
carved into the stone shell of what had remained of Goldcrest Manor.
“I must be blunt with yyou,” the Duchess said, glancing toward Tawnyy.
“And I trust that what I’m about to sayy won’t become whispers on the lips
of others.”
“Of course,” Tawnyy promised as I nodded.
“There is…reason to believe that the assailant from last night was an
Atlantian,” she said, and Tawnyy sucked in a sharp breath. I had no reaction
to the news since Vikter and I had alreadyy suspected as much. “It’s not
news we want spread widelyy. The kind of panic that could cause…well, it
would do none of us anyy favors.”
I glanced at Vikter and found him watching the Duchess closelyy. “You
think that was who came for me tonight? The same man responsible for
Malessa’s death?”
“I cannot sayy if it was the same man, but we do believe the one
responsible for the disgraceful treatment of our Ladyy in Wait was a part of
a group that visited yyesterdayy,” she explained, walking toward the
credenza along the back wall. She poured herself a clear drink from the
glass decanter. “After the castle was checked for anyy persons who didn’t