Page 25 of Cinder's Adventure: Get Me To the Wedding!

If she was going to try and escape, she had to be fast, before whoever was coming could see her making a run for it and apprehend her again.

But—if she stayed, maybe whoever was coming would be reasonable. Maybe she could plead her case.

Maybe she could even get her ring back.

If Cinder should try to escape, go to Chapter 39.

If Cinder should stay and plead her case, go to Chapter 25.

Chapter 25

Though anger and frustration were swirling inside of her, Cinder forced herself to step away from the door. She had to trust that truth and justice were on her side. If she could just find someone in this place who had the tiniest bit of sense and tell them what happened, surely they would let her out and help her get her ring back.

The whistling grew louder, the tune sounding oddly familiar.

Cinder frowned, trying to place it, when the footsteps stopped right outside the door. She heard a lock in the key and felt her hopes rise.

She was already planning the speech that would persuade them to let her go when the door swung open and the words evaporated on her tongue.

“Iko?”

Iko beamed, twirling a set of old iron keys around her finger. “There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you. What on earth are you doing in this awful place on such an important day?”

“Honestly, I’ve been wondering the same thing.”

“Come on, come on.” Iko bounced on her toes and waved for Cinder to follow her. “We aresolate. The wedding is going to start any minute!”

“They can’t exactly begin without me, can they?” said Cinder.

Iko scoffed. “A bit self-important, are we, now?”

Cinder scowled, but she was only too happy to leave the cell behind and follow Iko out into the corridor.

Except, as soon as she did, she froze and looked back and forth down the long hallway.

It looked different from when she’d first been brought here.

The walls were now a glimmering, glossy white, and through a picture window at the end of the hall she could see a night sky speckled with stars and… not the moon, butEarthhanging over the horizon.

“Iko! How are we on Luna?”

“No time to explain!” Grabbing Cinder’s arm, Iko started racing through the halls of Artemisia Palace.

“But wait, Iko!” she gasped, trying—and failing—to slow them down. “I don’t have my ring! What will I tell Kai?”

Iko glanced back at her with a confused look. “Why would Kai care if you don’t have a ring?”

“Because I… I…” Cinder trailed off as she and Iko arrived at a balcony overlooking the palace’s central ballroom. The floor below was filled with Artemisians in all their vibrant, outlandish finery, and the ceremony appeared to already be underway.

She frowned, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

There was Kai, standing at the end of the altar.

And there was… a bride. Sauntering slowly toward him, a white veil over her face.

“Wait.” Cinder grabbed the rail, her jaw unhinging. “Wh-what’s going on? Who isthat?”

“The queen, of course,” said Iko, leaning over the balcony railing with a dreamy sigh. “Don’t you love weddings? They’re so romantic. And let me tell you, these Lunars really know how to throw a classy shindig.”

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