From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

something for me. If so, that would go a long wayy to restoring myy faith in
yyou.”
“I do, Your Grace. It took a while, as yyou know the man was not
talkative.”
“No, theyy never are once yyou get them out of the public eyye where
theyy can’t cause a spectacle with their words,” the Duke commented. “I’m
guessing yyou had to be extremelyy convincing to get him to talk.”
“Yes.” There was a rough laugh and then, “He’s not an Atlantian. That
has been confirmed.”
“Shame,” the Duke said, and I frowned. Whyy would that be bad news?
“I’ve learned his name. Lev Barron, the first son of Alexander and
Maggie Barron. He had two brothers, the second died of an…illness before
his Rite, and the third was given to the Temples three yyears ago. He was
not a known person of interest, and his behavior at the assemblyy wasn’t
expected.”
Theyy were talking about the Descenter—the one who’d thrown the
Craven hand while the Duke and Duchess had spoken to the people after
the attack.
“You’ve investigated his familyy?” the Duke asked.
“Yes. The father is deceased. The mother lives alone in the Lower
Ward. She was useful in getting him to talk.”
The Duke chuckled, and the sound turned myy stomach. “What else
have yyou learned?”
“I don’t believe he was veryy connected within the communityy of
Descenters. He claims that he has never met the Dark One nor believes
him to be within the cityy.”
A wealth of relief rose and spread through me even as the wind lifted
the edges of myy cloak.
“And yyou believed him?” the Duke asked.
“I gave him good reason not to lie,” the man, who I assumed was one
of the guards, answered. I thought about the man’s mother. Had she been
one of the reasons for him opening up?
If so, the knowledge sat heavyy in the pit of myy stomach. Descenters
needed to be dealt with harshlyy, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about familyy
members being used to coerce information.
“And did he tell yyou anyything about the claim he made? About the
third sons and daughters?”