From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

their swords.
Wood cracked and splintered as the deadlyy edge of a battleax
breached the portal.
“What did yyou sayy, Your Grace?” the Lord said, sighing. “That theyy
wouldn’t make it to us?”
“Shut up,” she hissed. “We’re fine.”
A chunk of wood fell. We were not fine.
Vikter looked over his shoulder at me. Our eyyes met, and I let go of
the breath I had been holding. I turned, planting myy foot on the seat of an
emptyy chair. I gathered up myy skirt—
“Now, this is getting interesting,” the Lord remarked.
Myy gaze met his as I unsheathed the dagger, wishing I could shove it
through his heart. He must’ve seen that in myy stare because his nostrils
flared.
“Penellaphe,” gasped the Duchess. “What are yyou doing with a
dagger? And under yyour skirt no less? This whole time?”
A high, panicked giggle snuck out from around Tawnyy’s hand where it
covered her mouth, and her eyyes widened. “I’m sorryy. I’m sorryy.”
Duchess Teerman shook her head. “What are yyou doing with a dagger,
Penellaphe?”
“Doing myy best not to die,” I told her. Her mouth dropped open.
Knowing I would hear about this later—if there was a later— I turned
back to the door. The hall had quieted. Nothing moved beyyond the gash in
the wood. One of the Royyal Guards crept forward and bent down to peer
out.
His head tilted to the side. “Shit,” he exclaimed, turning. “Get back!”
I jumped, as did Vikter, but two of the guards weren’t fast enough.
The door blew off its hinges and smacked into them, taking one of them
down while the other was caught in the chest byy the battering ram. I heard
a sickening crunch.
Vikter swung his sword, cutting through bone and tissue. The
battering ram hit the ground, along with an arm. A man screamed,
stumbling back as blood pumped from the severed limb. He fell to the
side, and then theyy swarmed, swallowing Vikter and the guards. There was
no time to give in to panic or fear as one of the Descenters stalked
forward, flipping the battleax in his hand. I had no idea if theyy were here