Alright, so here's the next chapter, potentially the last before I leave! I know I'm saying it every chapter, but now it's a lot closer-as in no more chapters as of this Friday for about 2.5 weeks.

Thanks to Alia Sharma, HestiaAbnegation11, Dolphinsplash12, and 4Love4Love for being amazing reviewers!

Riley's POV

Riley sat next to Jasey. She was scared, but was doing better controlling it than some of the girls in hysterics. Jasey was doing pretty well, at least externally.

"Do you have any siblings?" Riley asked her.

"Yeah. Two younger sisters and a younger brother." She said. Muffled noises that Riley was pretty sure were gunshots rang out, making her start a bit.

"I'd like to have siblings. Are they nice?" She asked somewhat wistfully.

"They're nice, but they can be pretty annoying." She said tersely. They lapsed back into silence, thinking of the guards who were putting their lives out so that other people could survive. Hopefully.

Grace's POV

Grace stayed still, petrified. She could hear voices from what she was pretty sure was her room, going through her stuff. She tried to calm her breathing, unmoving, knowing that any noise could well cost her her life.

"The damn girls all got out!" One of them, a guy it sounded like, exclaimed.

"I'm surprised that they still remember the protocols." Another remarked dryly, the sound muffled by the space between them. The second voice sounded vaguely familiar. She knew she'd heard it before, she just couldn't place where it was from.

"Well, nothing here." The first voice said. The voices stopped, and she assumed they'd left the room. She stayed in the air shaft.

Summer's POV

Summer sat with Shaylienne. Almost all the girls-except the bitchy ones-were sitting with random girls they didn't usually. Most of them were scared to some degree, some of them breaking into hysterics in the corner. The royal family was gathered around a cot, where Princess Emmaline was sleeping, hooked up to something. A few of the girls were sleeping, and others shivering. Shorts and a t-shirt was nice in the upstairs rooms, but in this room where the cold seemed to just seep through, not quite as nice. At least she had her robe and slippers.

"So, what do you do?" Shaylienne asked her, the conversation surprisingly normal and pleasant for an unpleasant, stressful time.

"I'm a swimmer. You?" She asked her.

"I write." She said. They went back into their previous silence. In other circumstances, they probably would have continued talking, but now-not the best time.

Summer watched as the door burst open. Everyone drew back, and then saw the guard's uniform.

"The palace has been cleared of Insurgents, and you may all go back up now." He informed them. They all stood, the room exhaling audibly. He left the room, and the words "All Clear" began blaring in place of the wailing siren that had been ceaselessly going since the beginning of the attack.

She stood, looking for Grace, but not seeing her. That was odd. She followed the rest of the girls out of the safe room, going up all of the flights of stairs that they'd hurried down.

Anastasia's POV

Anastasia looked at the main level of the palace. It could have been more wrecked, that was for sure, but since she was used to seeing it pristine and perfect, it was a shock. There was shattered glass all over, and stains of what appeared to be blood. Some of the girls were still shocked. She followed the gaze of the turning heads and whispers to see Queen America behind them, her mouth a grim line.

"Markson! Heralds!" She called out to two of the guards. Anna watched as they hurried over to her. She talked to them for a moment, and one of them hurried off again. Then she looked at all of the girls.

"Girls, breakfast is going to be in your room, and you can eat with other girls, as long as it's up in your rooms. Officer Markson is going to show you all an alternate route to your rooms." She said. The girls followed behind him, and Anna wondered what the state of the normal route was, and if that was the state of their rooms as well.

Short chapter, I know, but I started to get writer's block.

Alia Sharma-Thanks! I haven't read The Heir yet, but I want to

4Love4Love-Thanks! She's pretty fun to write

HestiaAbnegation11-Cool

Dolphinsplash12-They are fun! And you volunteer at the zoo? That sounds AWESOME!

RQOTD-Nail polish or makeup?

Nail polish 1000%. I never wear makeup except at trapeze shows, because it just takes a while and I've had a bunch of stabbed-in-the-eye experiences. Plus I enjoy nail polish as a form of creativity and junky art.