The Fire Didn't Stop Her

Flowers and Elevators

"I wasn't hungry," Selene said dryly.

"Well you should have come to breakfast anyway, young lady," Levana scolded. "You have to keep on glamouring him all the time for this plan to work. Or do you want me to dispose of your cousin and her friend?"

"No, my Queen."

"Good. Then do as I say and continue to make the prince 'fall' for you." She slammed the door to Selene's room and Cinder fell against a nearby wall.

"The next time I talk to that witch, it'll be too soon." Cinder was so torn. She wanted to stay at the palace with the prince. But she had to leave to save him, Winter, Jacin, and everyone else in the solar system.

"I'll say," Iko chuckled. "So ... what do you want to do until Cress finds someone to help us?"

"Just walk around the palace and try to stay out of Kai's line of sight, I guess."

"Sounds boring. But it's better than staying cooped up in here." The two left Selene's room and wondered around for what felt like hours. They visited the kitchen, the ball room, and a multitude of other locations. The place they spent the most time however, was the Med Center.

They were walking past one of the quarantine rooms when Iko looked in the window and froze. "Peony!" she cried. Iko bolted to the door and flung herself into the room. Cinder chased after her to see who Iko was so upset to see. When she entered, Cinder saw why Iko was distraught. One of the girls she had met the day before was lying in a white bed. Her face pale and arms decorated in rings of varying shades.

Iko stood over the girl as she store up at her with a smile. "I never thought I'd see you again, Iko. The new body really suits you. How's life with the princess? Is she like the queen, or is she nicer?"

"Oh she is much nicer than that woman." Iko's vocal modulator cracked. "And you were supposed to see me again at the coronation. Not ..." She bent down and took the girl's hand. "Not in this place."

"I wish I didn't have to meet you here too. But I guess I missed you so much that I got Letimosis to see you," she joked. "Oh, I'm sorry Your Highness. I didn't see you there."

"No need to apologize." Cinder walked over to the girl's bed. "A friend of Iko's is a friend of mine. You can call me Cinder."

"I'm Peony. It's a pleasure to meet you, Cinder."

The three talked and talked as if they were old friends. Even when they brought up the topic of Adri, their cruel guardian, Cinder could relate. Her horrific aunt was the devil compared to Adri. After what seemed like mere minutes, Cinder and Iko were asked to leave because visiting hours were over. "Will you come to see me again?" Peony begged.

"We'll try our bests to see you again, Peony. I promise." Iko let go of her friend's hand and strode to the door beside Cinder. They walked down the hall to the elevator and began to enter. As the doors closed, Iko faced the ground. "We're never going to see her again, are we?"

"Over course we are. She only started showing sighs yesterday. That means she has at least two weeks before ..." That sentence did not need to be finished. "That's after the coronation. We can visit her after this is all over."

"Okay," the android's tone radiated sadness. "I just want to make sure the first friend I ever had doesn't have to be alone when ... it happens."

"I know," Cinder completely understood. When you're hated by someone who should care about, you tend to stay very close to the people who do care for you. In her situation, Iko was her and Peony was Winter. They both needed to stay with their friends until the end.