“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.”

“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.”

“When Kai fell silent, she risked a glance at him. He was staring at her hands [which she always holds mechanic gloves over to hide her...you know, cyborg hands]..."Do you ever take those off?" he asked."No."Kai tilted his head, peering at her as if he could see right through to the metal plate in her head..."I think you should go to the ball with me."She clutched her fingers..."Stars," she muttered. "Didn't you already asked me that?""I'm hoping for a more favorable answer this time and I seem to be getting more desperate by the minute.""How charming."Kai's lips twitched. "Please?""Why?""Why not?""I mean, why me?"Kai hooked his thumbs on his pockets. "So if my escape hover breaks down, I'll have someone to fix it?”

“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.”

“Right,' said Kai, 'that'll be no problem in a city of two and a half million people. Let me just go dig out my special Lunar detector, and I'll get right on that.”

“The queen's eyes smouldered. "I know my own kind when I see them, and right now there is one in these city walls." She pointed a finger toward the balcony."I want her found and brought to me.""Right," said Kai,"that'll be no problem in a city of two and a half million people. Let me just go dig out my special Lunar detector, and I'll get right on that.”

“Did you know that she was cyborg?” asked a woman in an unhidden tone of disgust.Kai stared at her, appearing confused, then let his gaze dance over the crowd. He shuffled his feetcloser to the podium, a wrinkle forming on the bridge of his nose.Cinder bit the inside of her cheek and braced herself for adamant disgust. Who would ever invite acyborg to the ball?But instead, Kai said simply, “I don’t see that her being cyborg is relevant. Next question?”Cinder’s metal fingers jolted.”