“I don't want to tell you how to be a prince, but shouldn't you have some bodyguards or something?""Bodyguards? Who would want to harm a charming guy like me?”

“Why? Why don't you want to go with me?"She huffed. "It's not that I don't want to go with you, it's that I'm not going at all.""So you do want to go with me."Cinder locked her shoulders. "It doesn't matter. Because I can't.""But I need you.”

“Oh, my stars! Think about Prince Kai! You could dance with Prince Kai!”This made Cinder pause and squint into Iko’s blinding light. “Why would the prince dance with me?”Iko’s fan hummed as she sought an answer. “Because you won’t have grease on your face this time.”

“Kai cleared his throat. Stood straighter. "I assume you are going to the ball?""I-I don't know. I mean, no. No, I'm sorry, I'm not going to the ball."Kai drew back, confused. "Oh well... but... maybe you would change your mind? Because I am, you know.""The prince.""Not bragging," he said quickly. "Just a fact.”

“A relieved grin filled up Thorne’s face. “We’re having another moment, aren’t we?”“If by a moment, you mean me not wanting to strangle you for the first time since we met, then I guess we are.”

“Sybil tells me your little festival is an annual occurrence," she said, the cadence of her voice swooning like a lullaby."Yes," Kai said, lifting a shrimp wonton between his chopsticks. "It falls on the ninth full moon if each year.""Ah, how lovely for you to base your holidays on the cycles of my planet."Kai wanted to scoff at the word planet but sucked it back down his throat.”

“If you were a gentleman, you would offer to buy me one as well.""If you were a lady, you would have waited for me to make the offer.”