“Thorne blinked at her, then down at the sewage he could barely make out in the darkness. "Don't you have some tool in that fancy hand of yours that can get us across?"Cinder glared, light-headed from her body's instinctively short breaths. "Oh, wow, how could I have forgotten about my grappling hook?”

“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.”

“Cinder twisted up her lips. "Do you think it could have a virus?""Maybe her programming was overwhelmed by Prince Kai's uncanny hotness.”

“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?”

“You have no idea how to dance, do you?” Cinder fixed her gaze on him, mind still reeling. “I’m a mechanic.”

“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.”

“She sighed, annoyed at her restlessness. “So,” she said, disrupting Wolf in another backward glance.“Who would win in a fight—you or a pack of wolves?”He frowned at her, all seriousness. “Depends,” he said, slowly, like he was trying to figure out her motive for asking. “How big is the pack?”“I don’t know, what’s normal? Six?”“I could win against six,” he said. “Any more than that and it could be a close call.”Scarlet smirked. “You’re not in danger of low self-esteem, at least.”“What do you mean?”“Nothing at all.” She kicked a stone from their path. “How about you and … a lion?”“A cat? Don’t insult me.”She laughed, the sound sharp and surprising. “How about a bear?”“Why, do you see one out there?”“Not yet, but I want to be prepared in case I have to rescue you.”The smile she’d been waiting for warmed his face, a glint of white teeth flashing. “I’m not sure. I’ve never had to fight a bear before.”