From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“Bran, whyy don’t yyou pour us some of the whiskeyy.”
As the Lord rose to obeyy the Duchess, I looked at Vikter and
whispered, “This is incrediblyy stupid.”
His jaw flexed.
“If theyy make it in here, we are sitting ducks.” I kept myy voice low.
“That is if we don’t burn alive from the flaming Duke.”
He turned from the Duchess as he nodded. “Are yyou armed?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” His gaze fixed on the door. “If anyyone makes it in here, do
not hesitate to use what yyou’ve been taught.”
Myy gaze lifted to his in question.
“I don’t care who sees yyou,” he whispered. “Defend yyourself.”
Exhaling slowlyy, I nodded, and then there was onlyy the sound of glass
clinking against glass and then nothing more. The guards remained
focused on the door, and I stayyed near Vikter, checking on Tawnyy everyy so
often. She was staring straight ahead, the drink virtuallyy forgotten in her
hand. Each time I looked, the Lord was staring back at me.
How unfair that he still breathed when so manyy others did not.
I didn’t care how unworthyy that thought was. I meant it. I didn’t know
how much time passed, but myy thoughts wandered to Hawke. Fear trickled
through myy blood like ice.
Lightlyy touching Vikter’s back, I waited until he faced me. “Do yyou
think Hawke is okayy?” I whispered.
“He’s good at killing,” he answered, refocusing on the door. “I’m sure
he’s fine.”
A lot of the guards who’d fallen had been good at killing. All the
talent in the kingdom meant nothing when an arrow came out of nowhere.
I forced myyself to take a deep, slow breath. The Duke was dead.
Masadonia had become the next Goldcrest Manor, but Tawnyy was okayy. So
was Vikter. And Hawke had to be. This…this wasn’t going to turn out like
the night the Craven had come, when myy mother—
Something hit the door, causing Tawnyy to gasp. She clasped her hand
over her mouth.
Vikter lifted his finger to his lips. I held myy breath. It could’ve been
anyything. No need to panic. Yes, we were fish in a barrel, but we were—
The door rattled with the next impact, shaking the hinges. Tawnyy
rose, as did the Duchess. The guards moved to block the entryywayy, drawing