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After a fourth knock bore no result, Iko turned to theed

Cress wrapped an arht to act as a crutch for her as they hobbled through the garden Cinder’s dead lass

"What if it’s locked?" asked Cress, glancing down the street, although they hadn’t seen a single person Perhaps this entire neighborhood was made up of populara raucous celebration at the palace

"Then I’ll pick it," said Thorne

The door wasn’t locked They found therandiose entryith a curved staircase and a sea of gold and white tiles

Thorne let out a lohistle "This place is ripe for plundering"

Iko responded, "Can I go plunder the master closet?"

Jacin found an enormous vase full of flowers and set it on the floor inside the front door, so anyone who opened it would knock it over and shatter the vase into a hundred tiny pieces Fair warning that it was ti to find a kitchen that was bigger than Cress’s satellite Cress and Ikowhile Jacin ru with an assortment of nuts and fruits

"What do you think is wrong with you?" Iko asked

Cinder sainst the side of her head, like she hoped to jog so back into place "It’s not a power issue," she said "My eyes are working, at least It’s so in the connection between the brain-machine interface andat the same time, so it otten waterlogged or souess I should feel lucky If my power cell had died, I’d be dead with it"

They lanced back at the pantry "Did you see any rice in there? Maybe we could fill Cinder’s head with it"

Everyone stared at hi Isn’t that a thing?"

"We’re not pouring rice ina portscreen in a bag of rice once after they’d put it through a clothes washer and--"

"Thorne"

"Just trying to be helpful"

"What do you need to fix it?" asked Cress, then hunched down between her shoulders as all eyes turned toward her

Cinder frowned, and Cress could see her working through different possibilities Then she started to laugh, dragging her good hand through her tangled, still-daood one"

Iko beamed "That, we have Plus, we’re in a y here We just need to find you the parts and tools and you can talk ht?"

Cinder pursed her lips There were dark circles beneath her eyes and an unhealthy pallor to her skin Cress had never seen her so worn down

Iko cocked her head SheCinder, then everyone in their group "You all look awful Maybe you should rest for a while I can keep watch"

They mulled over the idea for a minute, before Thorne said, "That’s actually not a bad idea"