Okay, guys! I don't know if you've noticed, but I just deleted the last(and only) Winter chapter! I don't think it made any sense, and I just read it back and didn't like it... Maybe I'll regret it someday, but for now I'm happy with the change. I had to go back and change the chapter number for everything after, but it's worth it.

I'm going to make this a super long chapter. 2000 words, maybe? 3000? This will not be a whole day's work, I'm just telling you. Probably a week's. I'm slow that way.

I want to include a lot of stuff in this chapter! Let's see if I can do it!

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The palace walls were still bleeding.

Winter couldn't understand how she was the only one who could notice. Before, maybe it was understandable, but now the palace was positively flooding. Yet she seemed to be the only one drowning. She mused about this as she lay, watching the patterns on her ceiling.

Ever since Cress, Kai, and Jacin had disappeared, everyone else had started worrying. It wasn't that she wasn't worried-she was more worried than she'd ever remembered being-but they were just so vocal about it. She preferred keeping it bottled up inside. The others all had their own things to do every day; she had hers. Sitting down, and trying to ignore the frost that kept creeping up her arm, or the flames licking the fence of the palace.

Every day, Selene would leave the palace at 6:00 in the morning, waking everyone else up as she rushed through the halls. Iko would follow, her metal clanking sounding through the palace, and they would spend the whole day searching for Kai. Winter couldn't say they'd found anything so far, because they hadn't. No leads, no answers, no signs of him anywhere. She couldn't decide how she felt about that.

Then there was Thorne. He'd wake up three hours later than Selene, and every day he'd realize that it was late in the morning. Then he'd rush out the front doors, sometimes wearing only his pajamas, and that was that. Scarlet would chase after him, throwing him a loaf of bread or some leftover breakfast; he'd accept it without looking once at her, and he'd gulp it down as he raced through the city.

Scarlet was the only other one who stayed back at the palace. She cooked and gardened, mostly tomatoes. She'd tend the tomatoes all day, and Winter knew she was thinking of Wolf. She was always thinking of Wolf. He was still somewhere else in the city, and never came back to say hello.

Winter thought she was taking the whole situation pretty well. Either that, or she was just deceiving herself into thinking everything was okay, because, according to the others, it definitely wasn't. She worried for Jacin, but she knew that he was fine. She remembered the way he had fought against the special operatives, the way he had defended both of them against the thaumaturges attacking them. Yes, he was definitely fine. He could take care of himself.

She got out of bed, still feeling sleepy. She had yet to get used to the new mornings where she could wake up at any time she desired, without anyone coming to wake her up or tell her to go to breakfast. It was a small freedom, but it left her satisfied and slightly disconcerted. Winter almost expected a maid to come through the door at any minute to prepare her for breakfast.

It took her a while to change, and when she left her room it was nearly 8:00. Selene had left two hours ago, Winter thought. And Thorne would most likely leave in a while.
The kitchens smelled like toast and milk, and Winter picked up a plate and piled some bread on it, grabbing a glass of water on her way out. Scarlet was near the doorway, tying an apron around her waist, and Winter stopped to say hello.
The other girl smiled at her as she ran over to an oven, opening it up and checking on the muffins still baking. She sprinkled some sugar on them. "Hey, Winter."
"Has Thorne left already?"
Scarlet's eyes darkened, and her lips dropped into a frown. When she finally answered, her voice was tense and clipped. "Yes."

Winter wondered what was going on between the two, but shook the curiosity away. It was none of her business. She said good bye to Scarlet, leaving the kitchens, and went to the garden to eat there.

The garden housed flowers, vegetables, and fruit, curling up around the foundations and deep in the soil. It still looked wild and unkempt at this point, some of the plants unearthed, but it was an improvement to the dilapidated state it had been left in in the previous battle. Sharp stones and weeds stung her feet as she walked through the property. She breathed in the smell of earth and life. 

She sat down in a clearing of grass, her plate on the ground near her feet. Winter ate, finishing the bread quickly until there was only a few crumbs left. Those she scattered for the birds. 

As she drank, the sun began to work its way further up the sky, inching across the air until it reached a point where Winter had to go back inside because it was getting hot.

The inside of the palace was cool and frosty compared to the temperature outside, something Winter had adjusted to. She almost expected the familiar frost to creep up her arms again, but nothing happened. 

She crashed into something, and looked up blearily, catching sight of blond hair and blue eyes before she backed away. "T-Thorne!"

He stumbled, catching himself on her shoulder as he pulled away. "Nice to see you too."

"No, it's just..." Winter hesitated. "Scarlet said you left."

"I did," he replied, calmly rummaging in his bag, "and I think I found something."

She gulped, her eyes following his hands as they pulled out a piece of paper, folded over and over until it was completely creased. He shook out the paper impatiently, smoothing it over on his arm. "Look at this."

Winter stood on the tips of her toes, straining to see the words over Thorne's shoulder. Printed in neat black font was a few paragraphs scattered across the paper. She had to squint to read it, as the words were blurry and unclear. 

To Thaumaturge Elixes,

We are greatly disappointed that you have rejected our offer to join our rebellion in full. However, recruiting new Lunars to us would be greatly helpful. Our great thanks in your effort to do this. 

This letter is not just about expanding our forces, however. Recent events have proven that we are a force to be reckoned with. Among them is the joining of Emperor Kai of the Eastern Commonwealth. He has now earned a new name, and we believe he has the urge and ability to impact our cause. He used to be on the other side, after all. His change of heart may just as well lead many Lunars, and maybe Earthens, to our side.

Secondly is the advances in our letumosis research. We have developed many strains (and antidotes) in the past few days alone, and our Leader is anticipating what we will discover next. The enemy will be powerless against our weapons. 

Third, some enemies have been recently convicted. On a recent raid of the palace, we captured the shell and the guard that is part of their cause. Nothing much about them is decided yet, but they are imprisoned at one of our safe locations. 

We hope you have best of luck,

K. Y.

Thorne crumpled the paper in his fist, shoving it in his pocket. "They have Cress."

Winter nodded, her mind somewhere else. It wasn't  the idea of Jacin and Cress captured that really nagged at her, it was Kai betraying them. In the short time they had known each other, Winter hadn't gathered that he was a traitor. "What about Kai?"

He shrugged, looking off into the distance. "He can look after himself."

"He betrayed us."

"Kai wouldn't really do that. He's an idiot, but he wouldn't-" He cut himself off, gulping. "He can fight for himself. He's just waiting to betray the other side." His eyes begged it to be the truth. 

Winter didn't believe that, but she stayed silent anyways. 

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So I didn't reach my goal. But that's okay! I'll try again next time. 

Iko says hi,

jane