Hello Winternight readers! I hope the holiday season has been good for you and The Girl in the Tower has been a nice chilly read. My apologies for being late with this post as well. As usual, summary below and questions in the comments!

Chapter 16

Sasha is back at the monastery where he rests and eats. He meets Konstantin and demands to hear how his father died. From his words, Sasha knows that neither Konstantin nor Vasya is telling the full truth. Vasya is bathed and sent to the feast. There, she sits with Dmitrii and Sasha, they discuss the tax matters and talked about how they should deal with the situation. Halfway through the feast, an ambassador from Sarai Is announced to have arrived. Sasha, Dmitrii and Vasya visits him in another palace and Vasya realises that he is the bandit chief.

Chapter 17

Vasya retreats to her room in the men's quarters where she sees a pale face outside the door who tells her to "get out, go". The next morning is the first day of Maslenitsa, and she finds her niece, Marya, standing at the foot of her bed. Marya tells her that she can see the ghost, Vasya replies that she can too and that she would show Marya if she does not tell anyone that she is a girl. They go to the bath and meets the bannik who gives Marya her prophecy which upsets her. He also tells Vasya that they will be watching, before the end of Maslenitsa. Vasya then brings Marya horse riding to placate her. They eat cakes and go shopping in the market before she meets Chelubey, the ambassador while Vasya was checking out a mare. He reveals that he knows what she knows, that he is the bandit chief. Chelubey demands Solovey as compensation and before anything could happen, Kasyan intervenes and delivers both of them safely back to the palace. Olga finds out about her bringing Marya out and chastises Vasya. After an argument about the plight of women in Russia, Vasya leaves Olga.

Chapter 18

Kasyan met Vasya at the gate and encourages her to get drunk. She agrees, they head off to do just that but meets Chelubey with the mare Vasya wanted to buy, escaping him. Vasya, feeling bold, wages that she is able to ride the mare before the third hour. If she is unable to do so, she will give up Solovey. But if she is able to, the mare will be hers. This is heard by the crowd and everyone watches as she manages to tame the mare and ride her. They all cheer for her as she does so. For a moment, she contemplates a life as a horse breeder but realises that it's implausible. She then tells Kasyan that Chelubey is the bandid chief, and Kasyan believes her but wishes her to wait before telling Dmitrii.

Chapter 19

Vasya goes to service with Dmitrii's procession, after which she banters with them. She drinks with them in great cheer and when they retreat to the Grand Prince's hall, she meets Sasha who pulls her aside in private conference. He tries to get her to stop her antics and keep a low profile but she refuses and realises that she must leave the place and decides to do so the next day. Dmitrii congratulates her on winning the horse, and she was about to reveal who Chelubey really is before Kasyan interrupts and asks to race her in the morning. She is encouraged by Dmitrii and agrees. They continue drinking and she says that she wishes not to lie anymore, to which Kasyan replies that the truth has to be revealed at the right moment. Kasyan then continues his drunken talk and laments that he has lost something and asks Vasya if she thinks he'll find it again. He pulls her closer but before anything can happen, Morozko appears. They head off with their horses, far away from the feast. She says that she wishes to be a traveler, if she cannot be a lord. She then asks him what he thinks she should do He answers that she should decide for herself as "each way will have its better with its sweet" before kissing her. Afterwhich he warns her that there is a shadow over Moscow, before leaving, much to Vasya's disappointment. Later, a red light streaked across Moscow, named as portent for those who saw it.

Chapter 20

Vasya meets Kasyan the next morning for the race. He professes that he likes her and asks her to go with him to Bashnya Kostei in spring. He tries a few times to tell her something but was interrupted by the boyars, then by Sasha who she agrees to speak to. Solovey comments that there is an odd smell in the air, like "dust and lightning". Sasha tells Vasya that he has some evidence that Chelubey isn't who he claims to be. He tells him to reveal all to Dmitrii when they're done with the race. She sees Kasyan's horse, and she is more magnificent than she ever thought possible. She realises then that a real race is about to begin. Before it happens though, she spots domovois and a bird-woman, and feels something strange on her spine. Just before they start the race, Kasyan asks if she would like to wager and says he wagers his horse for her hand in marriage. She is shocked but now more determined to win the race, for if she does, he will never be able to reveal the truth. They have a close race and right before the end, Kasyan pulls her hood down to reveal her long hair. Right as she gets off Solovey, Kasyan captures her and convinces Solovey to obey him with Vasya's life. He strips her of her knife and half her clothes, showing without a doubt that she is a girl. Dmitrii is furious that he was deceived by Sasha and Vasya. Sasha tries to fight and free her but is subdued. The crowd shouts that she must be punished and Kasyan suggests to lock her up in a convent or in Olga's tower for she is innocent and it's all because of Sasha's plotting. Sasha is ordered to be confined under guard in the monastery and Vasya is to be locked away.