From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The meaning was clear. If there was no trial, that meant there’d be no
public execution, and the onlyy reason that would occur would be if the
Descenter was alreadyy dead. That had happened before while theyy’d been
imprisoned. Normallyy, it was believed to have been byy their own hands or
byy an overzealous guard. But could it be that the Duke was meting out
justice himself?
The same Ascended who I doubted had gotten a speck of blood on his
hands since the War of Two Kings?
I shouldn’t be surprised byy that. He had a cruel streak and viciousness
within him a mile wide, but he alwayys kept that well hidden under a mask
of civilityy. I also shouldn’t be bothered byy the idea of the Descenter being
killed without the farce of a trial. Theyy supported the Dark One, and even
if some of them hadn’t engaged in the riots and bloodshed, their words
alone had sown the seeds that had caused blood to spill on more than one
occasion.
But I…I was bothered byy the idea of anyyone being killed in a dark,
dank cell, at the hands of an Ascended who was barelyy better than an
Atlantian.
Finallyy, the door opened and closed, and there was nothing but
silence. I waited, straining to hear anyy sound. I heard nothing. Wondering
whyy the Duke had decided to have this meeting here and surprised byy how
aware of the network he was. I inched along the ledge toward the window.
Clutching the journal to myy chest with numb fingers, I neared the window
—
There was a clicking sound from inside the room. I froze. Was that
the door closing? Or was it locking? Oh, myy gods, if it had been locked, I
would have to bust through it—wait, the door could onlyy be locked from
the inside. Had someone else come into the room? Was it the Duke? There
was no wayy he knew that I was out here unless he could suddenlyy see
through walls. Who else—?
“You still out there, Princess?”
Myy lips parted as myy eyyes widened at the sound of his voice. Hawke.
It was Hawke. In that room. I couldn’t believe it.
“Or have yyou fallen to yyour death?” he continued. I brieflyy debated
the merits of jumping. “I reallyy hope that’s not the case since I’m prettyy
positive that would reflect poorlyy on me since I assumed yyou were in yyour