Fanning the Flames of Rebellion [A Lunar Chronicles Fanfic]

Chapter 40

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From the moment Winter stepped out from hiding, she knew it was a bad idea. When she did, she ended up getting herself shot. Winter woke up in an empty room, hearing a conversation coming from outside her door.

"Why did we leave in the first place?" A man's voice asked. Winter silently got out of the bed and tip-toed to the door.

"And don't tell me it was because we found a place to stay. I know that's a lie."

It was silent for a moment. Winter could hear her own heartbeat.

"Okay, fine." A woman's voice said. "There is no Logan Tanner. There is no Lunar rebellion."

Lunar rebellion?

"What?"

"I'm sorry, I know I should have told you guys sooner. I just... I didn't want to put anymore stress on our situation."

"How do you know all this?"

"Dr. Erland told me Logan Tanner died earlier this year."

A dead silence followed for a few seconds before another voice, a female voice, spoke up.

"So we're on our own now, right?"

"It seems so, I'm sorry."

Winter's mind was still trying to catch up to all the new information thrown at her. The one thing that plagued her mind the most was the rebellion. If what the woman said was true, there may or may not be one.

Winter wouldn't want to take her chances.

She heard a soft creak just outside her closed door and leapt back as a slender figure stepped in.

Winter heard a scream. But it didn't come from the figure, it didn't come from the others behind the person. It came from her. In front of Winter stood Lihn Cinder-- Princess Selene.

She didn't know what she was most thankful for, that Selene was safe, or that she was no longer pointing a gun at her.

"Shh, please." Selene said in a hushed tone.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just... is it really you?" Winter asked.

Selene looked behind her, at her comrades probably. She turned to face her once again.

"Yeah, I think so."

Winter ran in to Selene, throwing her arms around her. "I'm so glad you're okay! Wait--" she lifted her arms from her, "Why are you here? You shouldn't be here. It's not safe."

"I know, something's come up."

Winter didn't respond. A large, intimidating man walked into the room holding a port that was dwarfed in his hands.

"Look." he said to Selene.

She scanned the screen, biting her lip. The man looked at Winter and nodded a silent greeting. She waved back.

"Wolf I--"

"Wait!" Something clicked in Winter's mind. She'd heard that name before, but were?

"Winter, what is it?" Selene asked.

"W-Wolf? That's your name, right?"

He cleared his throat, "Y-yes, your highness."

Scarlet.

That's where she'd here his name. Scarlet had told her about him

"Your-- I can't believe it! She-- Oh she's going to be so happy!" Winter could hardly make out what she was saying.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Scarlet! Oh I have to tell her you're okay! She'd be so happy! Maybe she'd play with me if she knew!"

Wolf's face looked stricken, Selene's looked astonished.

"Y-you mean she's okay? Scarlet's okay?" He asked.

"Of course! Of course, what wouldn't she be?"

The man's face faded into rage. He took a mighty step forward, causing Winter to leap back. Selene held her arm up between the two.

"So, Scarlet isn't hurt? She's safe?" Selene asked, stepping in front of Wolf.

"Well... for the most part, yes."

"What do you mean?" Wolf's wild eyes glinted in the light of the room.

Winter was about to speak when another woman, a lady with dark skin and vivid blue hair, stepped into the room.

"Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, yeah, Iko, all okay." Selene replied.

"Uh, someone's here."

Winter panicked. What if it was her seven friends? She knew they'd be very angry if they knew she'd had guests over without their permission.

"Hide, please." She said, walking last the three. "I'll get it."

"Winter! What are you doing?" Selene called.

"Please, hide." Thankfully, they did what she told them to do. Winter looked through the small peephole to see an old woman standing with a basket in hand.

Quickly, Winter called up her glamour and opened the door.

"Hello, ma'am?" She asked, pleasantly.

"Hello, dear," the woman said, "I've come to deliver your weekly food rations."

"Food rations?"

"Yes, the Queen herself ordered that we all stay on a limited diet until the war is won. I've come to deliver it to your household." She surveyed the cottage, "This is the home of Almiguer Ricoso, correct?"

"Y-yes, it is." Winter replied. She was still trying to understand why Levana would put her people on good rations.

The woman handed Winter the basket and gave a small wave goodbye. She closed the door and set the basket on the counter.

"You can come out now." she said, releasing her glamour.

Once everyone entered the kitchen, Winter began speaking.

"Food rations. She's made everyone get a certain amour of food a week."

"That's not the worst of our problems." Selene said, eying everyone carefully. She held up the same port screen Wolf had given her.

Winter read the headline:

Dozens of Lunars dead from mutated Letumosis disease.

"No one," Selene said blankly, "No one is safe anymore."