They sit in Maha Kesley's house for several days. The space is too small for all five of them. Like absurdly too small. And the silence returns. They don't dare to make noise because here, in the lap of luxury on the moon, poor people don't get windows. The only thing separating them from the outside world are some flimsy patchwork curtains.
The little shuffling around they do generates noise. The noise brings out Cinder's worst side. Unsurprisingly, her worst side lowers morale.
The person having the most trouble with silence is Iko.
Why exactly an android is having difficulty resisting the impulse to hum is beyond him. Every time the Eastern Commonwealth's anthem titers through the room, he can see the vein pulsing in Cinder's forehead.
The humming cuts off just as abruptly. With each day Iko improves.
Thorne's getting worse. He thinks he's going to go absolutely crazy.
They pass the only port screen around for communication. Thorne types out jokes whenever he gets a turn. Cinder always kicks him.
It's worth it to wheedle an emotion out of her other than worry, even if it's not amusement.
They quickly eat through Maha's small pantry.
Thorne begins fantasizing about green things to eat which is something he's never done in all twenty-one years of his life. Meat would be nice too… Or cheese. Or anything, really, that isn't grey and needs to be rehydrated.
It's funny. He's learning so many things about himself in such a short time. He'd have never described himself as picky before.
He's actually starting to remember the bland prison food with fondness—bad sign.
He might already be off his rocker.
He hasn't even gotten started on how horrible it is to go a week without a bath. Imagine what kind of soap they have on this hunk of space rock. It's probably rough and grey like everything else. Probably dries your skin and hair out too.
They take turns peeking out of the drawn shades when Maha is off at work.
Cinder doesn't like it when they do this. She's paranoid. He's starting to get annoyed with her if he's being honest.
His life can't get too much worse at this point.
And then Scarlet returns.
The afternoon she arrives is about as dull as the rest have been. Wolf goes absolutely rabid. One moment he's moping on the floor and the next he bolts from the shack—house—without an explanation. By the time they reach him in the square, he's mauling an innocent bystander.
She's pretty, with wild red curls and prominent curves that show through her tattered clothing and—oh. Oh. OH. That's Scarlet.
He never would have recognized her.
She's lost a lot of weight and she's filthy.
Thorne wrinkles his nose in greeting because it's reminding him of how much he needs a bath. He wishes he was back in New Beijing prison. At least there he'd had lots of soap. It hadn't been the nice kind but at least he'd had the option.
Her accent is ridiculous—just as nauseatingly French as he remembers. A grin spreads across his scruffy face. He's about to offer her a hug but then his eyes take in just how skeletal her body has become.
Her abduction was two months ago and it looks like she hasn't eaten in all that time. Her body also shows the signs of faded blotchy bruising. The anger that flashes to life in his chest is unfamiliar.
He uses all the self control he never knew he possessed, not to ogle.
Thorne knows she is knockout gorgeous but her curves are more pronounced than ever. She has her arms crossed firmly across her chest, shielding herself. And it makes sense because her clothes are—he makes deliberate eye contact and cracks a few jokes. The skin showing isn't a fashion statement.
She brings an update on Levana. She also comes bearing the gift of Crazy Princess Winter. Here he thought Maha's home couldn't possibly get any more cramped.
And Cress is alive. The relief is like a punch to the gut. About as pleasant as a crash landing. Cress isn't safe but at least she's not dead.
Yet.
And after they broadcast Cinder's video announcing her heritage and claim to the crown, hell breaks loose.
It isn't instantaneous but there's no stopping the wave of chaos. The residents take convincing at first and that's a harrowing task. A few days, a few riots, a few deaths later.
Levana's guards arrive before the week is through and begin rounding the inhabitants of Sector RM-9 up like cattle. The streets are packed with hurrying lunars making their way to the sector square. Aimery Park's voice booms through every sound system and his image glows on every hollow screen in a three mile radius.
Cinder and her crew, as well as Maha and a good dozen citizens, huddle around in a warehouse in the middle of the mining sector.
Everyone is on edge.
A shrill scream echoes through the streets outside.
Cinder runs for the window, plastering her body against the wall, ready to duck out of view if she needs to. Thorne flattens himself against the wall beside her.
"You should hide," he whispers.
"So should you!"
Neither of them move.
Countless guards march through the streets along with half a dozen Thaumaturges. More reinforcements pour in from the narrow streets that stretch out on all sides of the main square like spokes on a wheel.
The guards corral the citizens into uniform lines around the fountain in the middle of the square.
Aimery stands in the center of it all with his hands raised above his head like he's conducting an orchestra. The arrogance is palpable. Thorne instantly hates him.
He's not exactly one for hatred but, he wants to knock that smug smile off the Thaumaturge's face just about as much as he wants to take a bath.
Thorne and Cinder's gazes meet across the cramped space. He can't figure out what she's thinking. She's easy to read when her emotions get the better of her. Right now, she's frozen in place. She looks nothing at all like herself. He's never seen her so afraid.
His own throat tightens.
Levana knows she's here.
Running from the government is one thing.
Crashing a wedding and kidnapping a government official is one thing.
Plotting to overthrow a tyrant is one thing. It's dangerous, sure—but actually facing that same tyrant's wrath is something completely different; and terrifying.
"They're rounding up everyone in the sector." Whispers Maha. "No doubt they'll search these buildings too. You should all hide. The rest of us will give ourselves up. They might not search these upper floors if everyone is accounted for."
Cinder argues with her but only briefly. They can't stop Wolf's mother from joining the crush of people outside. She's right that her absence will draw unwanted attention. The rest of their allies file out with grim expressions.
Maha is the last to leave.
Wolf hugs her and neither mother or son hide their tears.
Cinder crawls to the wide window and looks out of the insanity outside. Iko paces in circles, wringing her hands and twisting her long braids around and around her fingers.
Only Thorne and Scarlet stand idly by. He catches her eyes and sees his own helplessness reflected back. The two of them have made up. Sort of. They never got along before her abduction. Now they don't have time or the luxury to do anything other than behave.
Maha untangles Wolf's squeezing arms and hurries down the stairs out into the street.
Thorne, Cinder, Iko, Wolf, and Scarlet, are left in the empty room. They stare at each other. The looks range from fear to resolve.
But there's something—someone missing.
Winter. They left the Princess back at Maha's home. Cinder jerks up; he and she seem to realize at the same moment.
Scarlet gasps, a second delayed. "What about Winter?"
Cinder turns wide eyes on her. The panic is clear. It's almost stronger than her original fear.
"I can go." Says Iko. "They won't be able to detect me like they would any of you."
Thorne experiences a sudden spike of pride. Warmth fills his chest with the sudden emotion. That's his Iko—often silly, and obsessed with the most trivial things, but fearless. In that moment he forgets that she is an android made up of wires, gears, and synthetic skin. She's so much more than that.
Malfunctioning personality chip aside, Iko is human in every respect that counts.
Cinder presses her lips in a firm line, debating. It's obvious the same thoughts are not running through her head. She's not busy contemplating Iko's humanity but calculating the danger.
Iko is Princess Winter's best chance and only real hope. The lunar guards won't be able to detect her because she has no bioelectricity to detect. She also can't be turned on them in the event of a fight.
Cinder assents, finally, letting out a long breath. It's clear she sees no other option. "Be careful. Sneak out through the loading bay."
Iko gives Cinder a side hug. She grips Thorne's hand in a quick squeeze and the gesture says loud and clear I'll be back.
She gives the room a brief nod and then she, too, is gone.
First Maha and now Iko. Their small pool of allies has shrunk by a quarter. Cinder is shaking as she looks around at Thorne, Wolf, and Scarlet.
Aimery's voice reaches them, bouncing off the concrete walls on every side. "Residents of Regolith Mining Sector 9, you have been gathered here to face the consequences of your unlawful behavior. In harboring and aiding known criminals, you are all guilty of high treason against the crown."
Thorne rolls his eyes. He can't escape his celebrity status even here on the moon. Once a famous person, always a famous person. Isn't that how the saying goes?
Aimery's voice lowers with relish at his next words. They slip out into the silent air like silk. "The sentence for this crime is death."
Thorne imagines him licking his lips. Snakey bastard.
Aimery Park offers the crowd several options; give Cinder's location up or die. From his tone it's obvious he thinks this is generous. The height of mercy. It's also clear he has no preference which they pick.
The silence that follows suggests the residents are holding their ground. Cinder will be the first to cave. She's too selfless for survival. Was she always this way? Or is it a new development? He can't recall.
"I can't let them die for me!" Her face has drained of blood, leaving her skin pale and clammy.
"No one is dying for you." Wolf growls. "If anyone dies today it will be because they finally have something to believe in. Don't you even think about taking that away from them now."
If that's supposed to be a pep talk, Wolf should try again. The snarling is off putting to say the least.
"But I can't—"
"Look at me, Cinder. Get yourself together." Thorne grabs her by the shoulders, pinning her against the cool wall. He takes a deep breath before trying out his own motivational speech. He holds onto her shoulders as they quiver beneath his hands. "You are the heart of this revolution. If you give yourself up now, it's over."
And if you give yourself up I'll go insane.
He wonders briefly how she'd react if he came out and just said that.
It's not his best work but he is preoccupied with a lot of stuff.
Cress. His own imminent demise. Cinder.
Cinder.
Protecting the people he cares about is the only thing keeping him from running screaming from the building. It's the only thing that's kept him from throwing in the towel at every single step along the way. He isn't cut out for this-saving-the-world stuff.
But, it's not like he has a choice. The longer he spends playing the part of hero and revolutionary, the more difficult it is to recognize himself.
He really is going crazy.
It's the only explanation for all of this. For once in his life, Thorne wants to be the hero. He's slipping into the role like it's a second skin. It's an itchy and unpleasant transformation but the change is undeniable.
He'll probably become accustomed to it eventually. Hero. It's catchy. A bit heavy too.
He doesn't want to save the world. He just wants to wake up tomorrow and maybe shave his stubble covered face. He wants to take a bath with luxurious soap and put on expensive lotion afterward. He wants to live another day with the people he's grown to love.
He isn't a hero or a revolutionary—he's a selfish good-for-nothing bastard with exceptional taste in clothing who also happens to be an international thief. He isn't a storybook character. He doesn't have what it takes aside from some misplaced courage.
The only reason he's here at all is because this one time his selfish desires line up with a rebellion.
He is without a doubt unhinged. It's kinda nice, he's not going to lie. If he really is out of his mind he can't be held responsible for his actions. Realizing that he doesn't have to be good or heroic lifts all the pressure off his shoulders.
He just has to wing it like usual. He can do that. Simple enough, right?
It doesn't matter how this pans out. He's got nothing to lose. He's Captain Carswell Thorne.
Now if he can just stop Cinder from playing martyr.
A/N:
I got a little carried away with this one! it was meant to be more Cinder/Thorne focused than the rest. my brain said "nope! make more hero!Thorne angst"
how could I say no to that?