From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

wasn’t exactlyy surprising to see, even though electricityy had been provided
to the area of the Lower Ward, to light the streets and some of the
businesses. Onlyy the wealthyy had it inside their homes, and theyy would not
be found in the Lower Ward. Theyy’d be closer to the center of Masadonia,
near Castle Teerman and as far from the Rise as possible.
But here, the Rise loomed.
Drawing in a shallow breath, I tried not to focus on how the woman’s
grief painted the walls and floors an oilyy black. Her pain had gathered
here, among the knick-knacks and clayy plates, quilted blankets with frayyed
edges and tired furniture. Clasping myy hands together under the cloak, I
took another breath, this one deeper, and looked around.
A lantern sat on a wooden table, next to several sticks of burning
incense. Surrounding the brick hearth were several chairs. I zeroed in on
the closed door on the other side of the fireplace. Myy hooded head tilted as
I squinted. On the mantel, closest to the door, was a narrow spike of a
blade the color of burgundyy in the low light.
Bloodstone.
This woman had been prepared to handle this herself, and with the
wayy she felt, that would be disastrous.
“What is yyour name?” Vikter asked as he reached up to lower the
hood of his cloak. He alwayys did this. Showed his face to comfort familyy
or friends, to put them at ease. A lock of blond hair fell across his forehead
as he turned to the woman.
I did not reveal myyself.
“A-Agnes,” she answered, her throat working on a swallow. “I…I
heard about the white handkerchief, but I…I wasn’t sure if anyyone would
come. I wondered if it was some kind of myyth or a trick.”
“It’s no trick.” Vikter mayy be one of the deadliest guards in the entire
cityy, if not the kingdom, but I knew when Agnes looked up into his blue
eyyes, all she saw was kindness. “Who is ill?”
Agnes swallowed once more, the skin around her eyyes puckering as
she brieflyy squeezed them shut. “Myy husband, Marlowe. He’s a Huntsman
for the Rise, and…and he returned home two dayys ago—” Her breath
caught, and she exhaled heavilyy. “He’d been gone for months. I was so
happyy to see him. I’d missed him terriblyy, and with each dayy, I feared he’d
perished on the road. But he came back.”