Echoed Lullabies (Lunar Chronicles x Reader)

Chapter 69

A/N: From this chapter and on I rearranged a lot of things and added some new scenes, so I'd recommend rereading the next few chapters for the rest of the story to make sense.

"Your Majesty!"

Levana pivoted toward the voice on the outskirts of the control room. A woman had stood up and was adjusting an invisi-screen. "I think I've found something."

Levana shoved past the technician beside her to get a better view. The screen showed the central square of an outer sector—regolith mining, perhaps, judging by the dust that covered every surface, smudging even the camera lens. The fountain depicting her likeness could be seen in the footage, a thing of beauty in their drab world.

The square was full of people, a rarity in itself. Her mandated curfew ensured that the people focused on their work and their rest without being tempted to converge with their neighbors during off-work hours.

"Is this live?" she asked.

"No, My Queen. This was filmed not long after the end of the workday." She hastened through the footage, and Levana squinted to try to make sense of it. Guards, civilians, a just punishment, and then ...

"Pause the video."

The woman did, and Levana found herself staring into the face that had haunted her for months. If there had been any doubt, the monstrous metal hand dispelled it.

"Where is this?"

"Regolith Mining 9."

Levana's lips curled upward.

The cyborg was hers.

"Send word to Aimery—he's to assemble a team for immediate deployment to this sector. Linh Cinder is to be arrested and brought to me for a public trial and execution. Use whatever methods you see fit to detain her." Her vision bled with loathing as she stared at the screen. The haughty girl with her ignorant words and her proud displays. "We are not to tolerate any sympathizing with her or her allies. This uprising must be brought to an end."

***

Something gurgled in the back of my throat as I gasped. My knees buckled, causing all my weight to be held up by the manacles around my wrists. The air felt icy on the torn skin there. Something hot was dripping down my arms.

I cried out as Aimery slapped me across the face again. I wasn't sure whether he had broken the skin or not—I only knew that it felt like fire licking my cheekbone.

"I'll ask you again."

I grit my teeth as Aimery's nails dug into my chin.

"Who else came with you into the palace?"

I glared at him through hazy eyes. "G-go to hell."

He released me in disgust when I began coughing. It was a wet, revolting sound. Red sprayed. Drool leaked out the corners of my mouth.

"You'd be saving yourself the suffering you're currently experiencing should you behave cooperatively."

My head lolled to the side. "But that wouldn't be very fun for you, would it?"

His eyes flashed. "No," he chuckled. "It wouldn't be."

"We both know you won't get anywhere with torturing me." A hot tear leaked down my cheek as more blood welled at my wrists. I winced and shifted to try and alleviate some of the weight away from them.

In doing so, I felt the hook holding them wiggle.

"Perhaps not." Aimery moved to his floor-to-ceiling window, pushing the monochrome curtains to the side. Artemisia glittered like a city of diamonds. "But once we kill your cyborg friend, you won't be of much use anymore."