From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

cannot go out there. If theyy don’t kill yyou, His Grace will if he catches
yyou.”
“He won’t catch me.” I snatched up a black, hooded cloak and
shrugged it on, securing it at myy neck and breast. “The Duke will be hiding
in his room behind a dozen Royyal Guards if not more, right alongside the
Duchess.”
“The Royyal Guards will come for yyou.”
I retrieved the curved bow byy the grip. “I’m positive Vikter left for
the Rise the moment he heard the horns.”
“And Hawke? Their dutyy is to protect yyou.”
“Vikter knows I can protect myyself, and Hawke won’t even know I’ve
left myy room.” I paused. “He doesn’t know about the servants’ entrance.”
“You’re injured, Poppyy. Your back—”
“Myy back is almost completelyy healed. You know that.”
“And what of the Dark One? What if this is a ployy—?”
“This is no ployy, Tawnyy. I saw them in the mist,” I told her, and her
face grayyed. “And if the Dark One tries to come for me, I will be readyy for
him, too.”
She followed me as I crossed the room. “Penellaphe Balfour, stop!”
Surprised, I spun around and found her standing right behind me. “I
have less than two minutes, Tawnyy. I will be trapped in here—”
“Where it’s safe,” she reasoned.
I grasped her shoulder with myy free hand. “If theyy breach the walls,
theyy will take the cityy, and theyy will find a wayy into the castle. And then
there will be no stopping them. That, I know. Theyy got to myy familyy. Theyy
got to me. I will not sit and wait for that to happen once more.”
Her eyyes franticallyy searched mine. “But yyou didn’t have the Rise to
protect yyou then.”
That was true, but… “Nothing is infallible, Tawnyy. Not even the
Rise.”
“And neither are yyou,” she whispered, her lower lip trembling.
“I know.”
She drew in a deep breath, her shoulder sagging under myy hand. “All
right. If anyyone comes, I’ll tell them yyou’re ill with fright and have locked
yyourself in the bathing chamber.”
I rolled myy eyyes. “Of course, yyou will.” I let go of her shoulder.
“There are several bloodstone daggers in the chest, and a sword under the