Echoed Lullabies (Lunar Chronicles x Reader)

Chapter 26

It didn't take long for us to fall into a pattern. As Thorne became more comfortable with the movement of the sand underneath us and the sensation of the cane in his hand, he grew more confident, and our pace increased. Three dunes. Five. Ten. Before long, Cress realized that it took a lot less energy to stay in the valleys between the dunes when they could, so we began cutting a slower, yet less exhausting zigzag route across the desert.

The soles of my feet began to burn and a cramp was threatening to overtake my left foot from the constant grab and release of my toes on the unstable ground. My legs ached. My body began to rebel as we rambled up yet another dune. My thighs would burn as we crested one more hill—but then my shins would cry out as we descended the other side.

Cress was struggling too, I could see it. But she did not complain. She panted a great deal. She swiped at the sweat drops on her temples. She clenched her jaw against the hurt. But she did not complain.

That was something I did not expect.

I saw Thorne switch the food supply bag from one shoulder to the other a few times, but he didn't complain either, and his answer to me taking it wouldn't have changed since we left the satellite. Maybe, as he grew more weary, I could convince him to let me carry it for a bit so that he could have that tiny relief.

"Do you need to take a break?" Thorne asked Cress, hours later.

"N-no," she huffed, her thighs burning. "We're almost to the top of this dune."

"Sure? No point passing out from exhaustion."

Cress breathed a sigh of relief upon reaching the top of the dune.

"Really. Let's take a break," Thorne said, setting down the pack and stabbing the cane into the ground. He spent a moment working the kinks from his shoulders, before hunching over and undoing the bundle's knot. He handed Cress and I two of the water bottles and took another for himself.

"Shouldn't we ration it?" she asked.

He shook his head. "It's best to drink when we're thirsty, and just try to keep sweating to a minimum—as much as possible. Our bodies will be better able to maintain hydration that way, even if we do run out of water. And we should avoid eating until we find another water source. Digestion uses up a lot of water too."

"That's fine. I'm not hungry."

When she'd drank all she could, Cress handed the bottle back to Thorne. When he lifted the pack, I stopped him.

"Let me carry it for a little."

"No."

"Thorne."

"No," he said more forcefully, adjusting the pack on his shoulder. "I'm fine."

He started walking, and Cress followed him without question.

"What do you think is happening on your ship?" she asked as we descended the hill.

"Do you think Mistress Sybil..."

"They're fine," Thorne and I said in unison. My gaze fell to the sand in front of me.

Thorne continued. "I pity the person who goes up against Wolf, and Cinder's made of tougher stuff than people realize." A pause, before a hearty laugh burst through the quiet desert air. "Literally, in fact."

I scoffed in a sort of dry half-laugh.

"Wolf. That must be the other man on the ship?"

"Yes, and Scarlet is his ... well, I don't really know what they call themselves, but he's lunatic-crazy for her. Scarlet's not a bad shot, herself. That thaumaturge had no idea what she was walking into."