Cress

Meyer, Marissa. Cress. 2014. 550. ISBN 0312642970. Book 3 of the Lunar Chronicles. Available as an audiobook on Overdrive.

Living in a satellite orbiting Earth, Crescent Moon has been working for the Lunar Queen, Levana, since she was locked up here by Mistress Sybil, one of the queen’s most faithful servants. She briefly communicated with Cinder through a direct com chip Cinder had found in Prince Kai’s android. In Scarlet, she kept track of Cinder and Thorne’s escape and travels through space and back to Europe.

Now, it is Cress’ time to escape. She’s been concealing Cinder and Thorne’s location from Luna, and when she finally makes contact with Cinder again, Cinder agrees to come and rescue Cress from her orbital prison, hoping that Cress can play a vital role in the overthrowing of the Lunar Queen.

Unfortunately, Cinder’s arrival is preceded by Sybil, who discovers her prisoner’s escape plans. Angered that Cress has been lying to her, she sets a trap for Cinder. But when Thorne walks in the satellite instead of Cinder, Sybil must immediately adjust her plan. She infiltrates Cinder’s ship, and manages to kidnap Scarlett, but leaves her guard Jason behind.

Meanwhile the satellite with Thorne and Cress aboard plummets to Earth and crashes in the Sahara desert. The two survivors make their way to an oasis after some friendly help, and are eventually reunited with Cinder and Wolf.

Emperor Kai’s wedding plans to marry Levana and stop a Lunar Earth war continue, and now Cinder comes up with a desperate plan. They must kidnap the Emperor to prevent the marriage then find a way to infiltrate Luna to overthrow Levana. It’s a gamble, but it is Earth’s only hope. With Lunar forces poised to attack Earth, and the largest manhunt being executed to find the fugitives, can Cinder and her motley crew avoid capture and triumph over Levana?

To learn more about Levana, read Fairest, the queen's own story. The story concludes in Winter.