Lunar Palace

Chapter 2: Cress

Cress.

Cress shifted in her sleep, tossing and turning. She tried opening her eyes, but they were covered with a kind of bandage. She felt at it, gasping as a spurt of pain shot through her eyes.

My little Crescent Moon.

Dr. Erland?... Father? Cress shot up, sitting to the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry," she moaned, wrapping her arms around her knees and rocking back and forth. "I'm sorry!"

I am your father.

The words echoed around Cress's skull, and her btit her tongue, fighting back a scream. These dreams-no, hallucinations- had attacked her since they had defeated Levana. It should have been a victory, but instead, it just made more time to allow the delusions to pass into Cress's mind.

I am coming for you, Crescent Moon. I will take you away, with me.

"No!" Her fingernails tightened around her shoulders, and they dug into her skin. She shrieked,not even caring that annyone heard her anymore. "Thorne! Thorne, help me!" She screeched, while all the while, her father creeped closer and closer.

Footsteps, and then the door opened. She saw a short figure, the eyes looking down on her sternly,whispering something to her that she couldn't catch. Cress squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm sorry, Dr. Er-father! I'm sorry-" She cut herself off as a warm hand clasped around her shoulder, pulling her into a hug. She froze.

"Cress." That voice. She knew that voice, and it wasn't her father.

All the breath went out of her, and she pulled back, her eyes shining in relief. "Thorne."

He had saved her again. Cress sighed, closing her eyes, then opening them quickly when she saw her father again. "I can't sleep," she murmured, barely containing a whimper. "Thorne, I can't do this."

He gritted his teeth. "It's so frustrating. Why does this have to happen to you? You're innocent; you shouldn't be feeling guilty about something that doesn't concern you-that doesn't concern any of us." His grip tightened on her shoulder.

Cress felt a burst of compassion when she saw the despairing look in Thorne's eyes. No matter how she was, she had to keep Thorne looking ahead, looking for a brighter future. She had to keep hm optimistic, so he could go out and not take care of her all the time. "Maybe,"she said, thinking carefully,"It's because I haven't experienced the world enough. I've been trapped in a satellite for most of my life, this was bound to happen. I mean, me turning... mad." She wanted to shut her mouth just as she said it, knowing it was the wrong thing to say.

"You're not mad." Thorne's eyes blazed, and he turned to her, bristling with anger. "How can you say that? And I don't care if you're mad, however you are. You still-I still-" He choked on his words, his eyes filling up. "I-don't-Cress, it's not your fault! Whichever Lunar decided to mess with your brain did this to you, nothing is your-"

Cress felt herself wrap her arms around him, encircling him. "It's not your fault," she murmured, struggling to keep back the pain in them."I know it isn't."

They sat, hugging each other, for what seemed like forever but not enough;finally, Cress broke apart. Thorne stood, his eyes now firm.

"Okay," he said, turning his eyes on her. "I've been researching with the Lunar doctors on how we can fix it. It'll be fine." He pivoted, sending one last look at her before leaving the room.

Sighing, Cress leaned against the wood of the bed. How long could she keep this up?

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Thanks for reading! 😆 I just edited this chapter again, so yeah(June 23, 2015).