“Émilie. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

“Vanity is a factor, but it is more a question of control. It is easier to trick others into perceiving you as beautiful if you can convince yourself you are beautiful. But mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth.”

“I'm sure I'll feel much more grateful when I find a guy who thinks complex wiring in a girl is a turn-on.”

“Wolf," said Ran, enunciating it very carefully. "What an unusual name. Did your parents give it to you?""Does it matter?" said Wolf, tossing away his bone."I'm only making conversation.""I'd prefer silence," Wolf said, a growl in his tone.”

“...but I’m trying to be inconspicuous.”Cinder considered telling him it wasn't working but thought better of it. The lack of a throng of screaming girls surrounding her booth was probably evidence that it was working better than she suspected. Instead of looking like a royal heartthrob, he just looked crazy.”

“I mean it. I can't go alone. And I really can't go with Levana.""Well, there are about 200,000 single girls in this city who would fall over themselves to have the privilege."A hush passed between them..."Cinder."She couldn't help it. She looked at him..."200,000 single girls," he said. "Why not you?"Cyborg. Lunar. Mechanic. She was the last thing he wanted.She opened her lips, and the elevator stopped. "I'm sorry. But trust me---you don't want to go with me."The doors opened and the tension released her. She rushed out of the elevator, head down, trying to look at the small group of people waiting for the elevator."Come to the ball with me."She froze. Everyone in the hallway froze. Cinder turned back. Kai was still standing in elevator B one hand propping open the door.Her nerves frazzled, and all the emotions of the past hour were converging into a single sickening feeling---exasperation. The hall was filled with doctors, nurses, androids, officials, technicians, and they all fell into an awkward hush and stared at the prince and the girl in the baggy cargo pants he was flirting with.Flirting.Squaring her shoulders, she retreated back into the elevator and pushed him inside, not even caring that it was her metal hand. "Hold the elevator," he said to the android as the doors shut behind him. He smiled. "That got your attention.”

“He was the fantasy of every girl in the country. He was so far out of realm, her world, that she should have stopped thinking about him the second the door had closed. Should stop thinking about him immediately. Should never think about him again, except maybe as a client--and her prince.And yet, the memory of his fingers against her skin refused to fade.”