From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

closed the door behind her and then stood with his back pressed against it,
his short swords crossed.
Guards streamed past us then as we ran through the foyyer, around the
statues, and I looked at everyy one of them, hoping and fearing that I’d see
Hawke. Each face that passed me was unfamiliar.
And then the screams from the Great Hall ceased.
Myy steps faltered. Tawnyy looked back, too. The screams had
simplyy…stopped.
“Come, Poppyy,” Vikter urged.
We spilled into the banquet hall. A guard came running over, his face
and arm spotted with blood. “Theyy’re at the back entrance, surrounding the
whole damn castle. The onlyy wayy out is through them.”
“No,” The Duchess argued. “We wait them out. Here. This room will
do.” She stalked forward. “Theyy won’t make it to us.”
“Your Grace—” Vikter started.
“No.” The Duchess turned to him, that same odd fire I’d seen earlier
in her eyyes. “Theyy will not make it to us.” Her gaze snapped to me. “Bring
Penellaphe.”
The skin around Vikter’s mouth tightened, and we exchanged looks.
He shook his head. I held onto Tawnyy’s hand as we crossed the room and
moved into one of the greeting rooms. In the back of myy mind, I was at
least grateful that it hadn’t been the room Malessa had been murdered in.
Because there was a good chance that we were all going to die in
here.
The Commander remained outside, sword drawn, and I knew he was
going back to the Hall. Myy dagger practicallyy burned against myy thigh.
As the door closed behind us, I let go of Tawnyy’s hand and looked
around. There was onlyy one window, but it was far too small for anyyone
but a child to climb through.
The Duchess dropped into a settee, her lips pressed into a firm line.
Lord Mazeen went to her, and I saw that several Royyal Guards remained
inside.
“Dear girl, yyou look like yyou’re about to pass out from fright,” the
Duchess said to Tawnyy. “We will be just fine in here. I assure yyou. Come.”
She patted the seat. “Sit with me.”
Tawnyy glanced at me, and I gave her a discreet nod. She drew in a
shallow breath and then joined the Duchess, who turned to the Lord.