Fanning the Flames of Rebellion [A Lunar Chronicles Fanfic]

Chapter 31

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Cinder awoke with a pounding headache. It felt like something was drilling into her skull. She looked over to see a crumpled pillow and a ruffled blanket. Had someone been laying next to her the entire time?

Cinder got up, and instantly regretted it. She fell back on the bed, glad it had been there to catch her. Her legs felt like jelly. She had many failed attempts to get back on her feet before she could manage to fall forward onto her hands and knees. Cinder crawled to the doorframe that separated the bathroom and her room. She pulled herself up, stabilizing herself on the ledge.

At least see could see clearly now. Cinder didn't even remember where she was or what happened the night before. The only thing she did remember was hobbling aimlessly around the halls of some sort of medial area. Beyond that was just blurry faces and muffled noises.

Cinder held tight to the ledge and made her way across to the other side of the door frame. She grabbed the cold sink and pulled herself towards it not-so-gracefully. She grunted and winced, she had bumped hard into the edge of the sink right where one of her wounds were. The pain subsided quicker that Cinder thought, it was there, then it wasn't. Good, she thought, I'm healing well.

She looked up and saw a mirror. Cinder was in awe, I thought mirrors were banned all across Luna? But her own reflection was more surprising than that. She fad faint scars across her face that were beginning to fade, cuts that were still healing, and a long wound that stretched from her temple to just above her jaw with several stitches holding it together.

Her hair was all over the place, more disheveled than ever in her life. She even looked paler than usual, probably from not being out in the sun all the time anymore. She wore a white jumpsuit that mimicked the one she had worn in the Commonwealth jail. And Cinder also had a new hand. It was sleeker and more lightweight than the one Dr. Erland had given her. Her left leg, she noticed, also felt lighter.

She flipped up her finger tips, each revealing a different gadget. They were the same things she had before. A tranquilizer gun, knife, gun, and a screwdriver. And her palm still held tranquilizer darts. Nobody would even know she had new limbs.

Cinder regained her balance and half-walked half-hobbled back to her bed. On her cabinet lay a pair of brown cargo pants and a dark green tank. Brown boots also say next to them.
Cinder crawled across the bed and reached over to the cabinet and successfully grabbed the top, pants, and one boot; the other toppling to the floor.

Cinder changed into her new clothes effortlessly. The smell of disinfectant and lilac that made her want to be sick went away. She now smelled like chlorine that burnt her nose each time she inhaled. But now, anything was better than the reek of lilacs and cleaner.

Cinder tied are boot and pulled the other up. For a moment, she admired her metal limb, tracing each curve with her finger. She hadn't ever really looked at her cyborg parts with such admiration before. Cinder like it--loved it. She had finally excepted herself and embraced her metal-ness.

Her internal clock signified her that she was going to be late for work. Cinder let out a short laugh. Right now, Adri would be yelling at her, telling her she needed to get to her booth or she wouldn't have any dinner that night.
Thing have changed, because now she was a lost Princess, Lunar, and a wanted fugitive.

Cinder got up and left her room. Just outside was Iko, who had probably gotten herself looked out.

She looked up at her with a perplexed face. "Cinder?" She jumped up and gave her a tight squeeze. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Cinder asked.

Iko lifted her eyebrow and brushed it off. She let go of her, leaving Cinder breathing heavily.

"Iko, what are you doing out here?" She asked.

"Oh," Iko looked down, "I got locked out."

"That's what I thought." Cinder replied walking over to Iko's door. She wiggled the handle, no use. She then took put her screwdriver and undid the screws that held the handle in place. The knob fell to the floor with a loud clank. Cinder pushed firmly on the door and it opened.

She turned around and saw Iko's astonished face. "You know I could have just asked for Dr. Tanner to get me another key."

Cinder glared at her. "Too bad, it's open now."

Iko walked into the room and yelped. Cinder looked in, curiously. "Do they seriously expect me to wear this?"

She held out the same outfit Cinder was wearing. She looked down at herself, it didn't look too bad on her. She felt comfortable, which was all that really mattered to her.

"Just put it on." Cinder laughed.

She did, reluctantly. Iko didn't look that bad in it either, better than her of course. She turned around and posed for Cinder.

"You look fine." She said, smiling. But their smiles faded. A news update rolled across her retina display.

Princess Winter Hayle-Blackburn of Luna has been kidnapped. She was last seen at the palace when the crime took place. So far, there have been no leads as to who kidnapped the Princess and where they had taken her. The investigation is still ongoing. Luna has yet to give any more information.

Cinder gasped and Iko have her a shocked expression, getting the same news. The princess had been kidnapped. Gone, just like that. But Cinder couldn't believe that anyone would want to do any thing to he innocent, kind Lunar princess, even if she was mad.

No.

But she could think of one person who would have the heart. The one person who would want her gone, dead. The same person who tried to kill Cinder.

Levana.