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Cinder's had the mark ever since she could remember- so only for a handful of years. It had been Iko who had noticed it, of course, and she'd done an intensive search on her interface before sadly relaying that she hadn't found a match.
Cinder had shrugged. Who needed soulmates, anyway?
"I bet he'll be beautiful," Iko said dreamily one day, sitting with Cinder in the workshop. Cinder's mark was Iko's favorite topic of discussion. "I bet you two will meet, and he'll sweep you off to a beautiful land, far away from Adri."
"Well, that would be awfully kind of him," Cinder said, her voice muffled around pieces of wiring clamped between her teeth. "But if he's coming, I'd appreciate it if he'd hurry up."
Cinder was okay with the possibility of not having a soulmate. Really, she was.
But there must have been some part of her that had hope, because she kept the search results for marks matching hers open in the corner of her retina display open at all times.
Meeting Prince Kai sent her stumbling and mumbling and fumbling, but he just looked at her with an amused smile. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks before her temperature control could stamp it down.
"Do you get a lot of business?" Kai asked. Immediately, he shook his head, like he felt stupid. "Of course you do. You're the best mechanic in the Commonwealth."
Cinder smiled, fiddling with the various metal parts on her work table to give her hands something to do. "I don't know about that. But yeah, business is pretty good."
Kai nodded, rocking back on his feet. "That's good." He lifted his hand, probably to adjust his hood or itch his neck, but his hand caught on the edge of a tray of nails, and it went tumbling to the ground.
"Oh, stars, I'm sorry," he said, his words tripping over each other. "I don't- I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine," Cinder said, already bent over in her chair to collect them, her ponytail swinging in her face. "I do it at least once a day. You're good."
Kai didn't reply, and she glanced up at him. He was frozen, his hands half-extended, his jaw hanging open. He looked completely shocked. Cinder felt a jolt of panic. Had he seen her foot? "Prince Kai?"
He lurched out of his stupor, blinking rapidly. "Sorry," he said. "I- I have to go."
"Oh." Cinder stood, frowning at the disappointment she felt. "How should I return your android to you?"
"Just bring her to the palace," he said. He wouldn't look at her. "I'll make sure you have clearance."
"Oh, okay." Cinder paused, watching as Kai hurriedly gathered his things. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, of course," Kai said. The orange light in the corner of Cinder's retina flickered. "I'll send your payment soon."
And just like that, he was gone.
The possibility of Kai knowing that Cinder was a cyborg nagged at her. She hated the way people looked at her once they knew. Like she was some kind of monster.
Iko kept telling her that Kai wasn't like that, but how would she know? She and Peony spent plenty of time on Prince Kai fan boards, but that didn't mean they knew his personality.
At the thought of Peony, Cinder's mind wandered. Peony's mark was a beautiful yellow flower on her cheekbone- a rose, ironically enough- and she'd recently found her match. Peony had never been able to hide it, so she wore it with pride, tilting her face just enough so it glittered faintly in the light.
Her soulmate was one of the vendors where Cinder worked. His name was Rohan, he sold homemade baked goods, and he was absolutely perfect for Peony. His skin was dark- darker than Cinder's, anyway- and the gold of his mark stood out beautifully.
Cinder rolled over in her small, lumpy cot and heaved a sigh. There was a part of her- a larger part than she was willing to admit- that was jealous of all the people who had already found their soulmates. Surely she deserved to find her soulmate, too. Secretly, she believed Iko when she went on and on about Cinder's soulmate whisking her off to a better life.
She sighed again, touching the silver crown inked on the back of her neck, and fell asleep to thoughts of golden roses and Kai's smile.
Of course she bumped into Kai again, and of course she didn’t have Nainsi ready yet. She’d just found out she was Lunar, and her head hurt and she was tired, and she literally ran into Kai on her way to the elevator.
“Oh,” she said, her eyes widening. “Your highness. Please excuse me.”
He winced at the formality. “Please, it’s just Kai.” He scratched his neck- a sign of discomfort, Cinder suspected- and dropped his gaze. “What brings you here?”
“Visiting Dr. Erland. Your andriod’s not done yet,” Cinder added apologetically. “Sorry.”
“Oh, that’s alright. Just... soon, maybe?”
“Of course,” Cinder said, ducking her head. Shame coursed through her. “Your high- I mean, Kai.”
For a moment, Kai looked up at her through his eyelashes, a crooked smile on his lips. But it was gone a second later, and Cinder wondered if she had just imagined it.
“We’re at your floor,” Kai said, his voice rough. They had drifted closer, somehow, although Cinder couldn’t remember consciously deciding to step into his space. She hadn’t noticed the elevator stopping, either, but here they were.
“Right,” Cinder said. Her voice sounded faint. “Thanks.”
She was looking at his mouth. Why was she doing that? Orange lettering was flickering across her vision, but she ignored it, moving her gaze up his face. Now he was looking at her lips, and Cinder swore she could feel his breath on her face. His hand brushed against hers, a silent question, and she responded by tilting her face up enough until their lips brushed, the slightest touch.
The elevator doors slid open with a ding. Cinder’s eyes flew open in time to see Kai jumping away from her, his eyes and pupils wide. She swallowed hard.
“I’m sorry,” Kai said, his voice rough. It made Cinder weak in the knees. “I shouldn’t- I shouldn’t have done that.”
Cinder’s heart dropped.
Kai seemed to realize right away that what he’d said had been the wrong thing, and he reached out for her, his hand dropping back to his side before he could touch her. “I’m-”
“No, it’s alright,” Cinder said, her voice so falsely bright that it made her wince. “I should get going.” She turned on her heel, unable to look him in the eye, and her ponytail nearly smacked her in the face.
Kai took a sharp breath.
She stopped, one foot out of the elevator, and looked over her shoulder at him. “What?”
“Nothing,” he said, but she knew he was lying, even without looking at her indicator. His eyes were on the back of her neck, and she brought her hand to it self-consciously. “You should probably go.”
And just like that, she was dismissed.
She tensed her shoulders, pulling her face into a blank expression. “Of course,” she said, dropping into a low curtsy. “Your highness.”
A look of hurt and confusion flashed across Kai’s face, and Cinder spun on her heel and marched away before she could feel sorry for him.
The run-in with Kai had Cinder feeling so down that she worked for hours in her tiny garage, old rock music playing as loud as her audio interface would allow. She’d fixed Nainsi three hours ago, and since then she’d been reorganizing her supplies over and over again.
“Cinder?” Iko peeked inside the garage, her spindly arms twisting together anxiously. “Is everything alright?”
“Oh, everything’s grand,” Cinder snarled. She wasn’t mad at Iko, obviously, but she was sure as stars mad, and she managed her anger poorly. “The emperor is sending me mixed signals and I’m stupid enough to be hopeful. So yeah, Iko, everything’s great.”
This last bit was said in a fit of rage, and she hurled a wrench across the small room. It hit the wall with a satisfying smack.
“Oookay,” Iko said, sounding like she was talking to a crazy person. “Let’s sit down, okay? Take some deep breaths.”
Cinder did as told, albeit a bit reluctantly, and Iko rolled over and hugged her legs. “Do you wanna talk about it?”
“I don’t know,” Cinder said miserably. “I don’t even know what it is.”
Iko made a sympathetic noise, as though she’d been in the same position several times before. “I’m sure you’re just overanalyzing. You do that a lot.”
Cinder gave her a wry smile. “Maybe it’s a cyborg thing.”
Iko smiled back, and Cinder saw a message flash across her interface at the same time an alert appeared in her own vision. She scanned it tiredly- she was going on twenty-four hours with no sleep- but before she could comprehend anything it was saying, Iko shrieked.
The sound was screechy and metallic, so high-pitched and loud that cinder clapped her hands over her ears. “Iko! Stop!”
Iko did, but the sound still rang in Cinder’s audio interface. “Stars, Iko! What was that about?”
“Cinder!” Iko shrieked. “Read the alert! Now!”
Cinder pulled the message back into her vision, her heart pounding. It wasn’t hard to get Iko so worked up, but Cinder was nervous nonetheless. The alert was flagged as important, meaning Cinder had classified it as such, and that meant it could only be one thing.
She’d found her soulmate.
BREAKING NEWS: EMPEROR KAITO’S SOULMATE MARK REVEALED
Yes, ladies, it’s true. The day has finally come.
Emperor Kaito has always been very good about keeping his mark hush-hush, but today, it must have been far from his mind. He was photographed leaving the palace today- reportedly heading to a children’s hospital; isn’t he dreamy?- and his mark was revealed.
It’s on the back of his neck, which he usually keeps covered with high collars or scarves. What had him so distracted that he forgot to hide something he’s usually so adamant about protecting? We don’t know, but we’ll do our best to find out.
View pictures of Emperor Kaito’s mark below.
Cinder’s heart was in her throat. Hand clamped over her mouth, she scrolled down the page until she could see the pictures.
And there it was: her silver crown, inked in the exact same place on Kai’s neck.
“Oh my god,” Cinder said, choking on the words. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from Kai’s mark, identical to her own. “Oh. My. God.”
“You have to tell him!” Iko exclaimed. “Cinder, this is it! You have to go tell him now!”
Cinder shook her head. The alert vanished from her vision. She thought back over the span of the past few days, and she thought about how Kai had fled from her booth. How wide-eyed he’d been in the elevator. How both times, Cinder’s hair had swung off her neck, and her mark had been on full display.
He knew.
“No,” Cinder said, her voice sounding very far away. “He already knows.”
He’d known for a long time. For days. Had he been planning on saying anything? Had he just decided to leave her hanging? Didn’t want to believe his soulmate was a dirty mechanic?
She clenched her human hand so hard it hurt.
“Cinder?” Iko was practically buzzing with all the new information. “What do you mean?”
Quickly, Cinder explained how Kai had freaked both times her mark had been exposed. It wasn’t a coincidence, especially not now. She’d always thought meeting her soulmate would be exhilarating and epic and amazing, but this? This was angry. This was confusing. This hurt.
Iko was wringing her hands again. “He probably just didn’t know what to say. Think about it, Cinder! He’s been waiting for you for eighteen years. It’s possible he’s given up. And then he saw your mark, and he freaked out. Just like you’re doing now!”
“I’m not freaking out.”
Iko gestured to Cinder’s hands, which were twisting a piece of twine around one of her fingers so tightly it was turning white. Cinder frowned. “Okay, maybe I’m freaking out a little.”
“I rest my case,” Iko said smugly.
“But I wouldn’t have done that!” Cinder exclaimed. She hated being wrong. “I would have told him! How could he do this to me?”
She sounded whiny and vulnerable and young, and she hated it. Iko sighed, a heavy sound, and gripped Cinder’s hand. “He was scared, Cinder. Telling you would change his life. And yours. Forever.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “You need to start covering up your mark so people can’t see it. You’ll be swarmed by reporters if they know.”
“I can’t think about this right now,” Cinder said. She pushed her sweaty hair off her face. “I need a shower.”
“You can’t ignore this, Cinder,” Iko warned.
“I can try,” Cinder said.
Cinder moped.
Well, maybe not moped. More like sulked. She avoided Adri, Pearl, and Peony as much as possible, because they all knew what her mark was, and by now had heard that Kai had the matching one. At least Pearl and Adri were just meaner to her. Peony wanted to talk about it.
“I just don’t understand,” she said one day, her voice muffled by Cinder’s shirt. They were curled up on her bed, hiding out until Pearl finished her hissy fit, and Peony’s face was nestled on Cinder’s shoulder. “I thought you’d be happy. Or at least relieved.”
“I am, a little,” Cinder said. At least she thought it was true. “But I’m also not. He’s a prince, Peony.”
“An emperor,” Peony corrected.
Cinder rolled her eyes. “Exactly. An emperor. Guys like him don’t end up with girls like me.”
“Peony frowned, propping herself up on her elbows. “Girls like you?”
“You know.” Cinder waved her metal hand in the air. “Mechanic girls. Cyborg girls.” Lunar girls.
Peony’s frown deepened. “What are you talking about? Anyone would be lucky to have you. It doesn’t matter that you’re a mechanic, and it sure as stars doesn’t matter that you’re cyborg. Those things aren’t your only defining features. You’re so much more.”
Cinder smiled, running her fingers up Peony’s sides until she shrieked with laughter. “You know I love you, right?”
“I think you’ve mentioned that before, yeah,” Peony quipped, and Cinder tickled her until she squealed and flailed.
Meeting Cress freaked Cinder out. For a few heartbeats, the two just stared at each other. Cinder barely had time to take in all the hair she was seeing onscreen before Cress was speaking. “Linh Cinder?”
Cinder reeled back. “How do you know my name?”
“I know all about you,” Cress said, anxiously knotting pieces of her hair around her finger. “But it doesn’t matter.”
“Um, I kind of think it-”
“There’s no time!”
Cinder shut up.
Cress took a steadying breath. “Listen. There’s not much time. Emperor Kai is in danger.”
Cinder sat up a little straighter. “What do you mean?”
“I work for Queen Levana,” Cress said in a rush, wincing when she saw Cinder’s reaction. “I know, I know! But listen. They’ve been privately discussing a marriage for weeks. Kai didn’t want to, but Levana threatened war, and he had no choice. There’s a ball tonight- Kai’s coronation- but he’ll also be announcing their engagement to the world. I know this is last minute, so I don’t know-”
“Wait, what?” Cinder shook her head rapidly. “Kai wouldn’t marry Levana.” He wouldn’t marry her when he knows about me.
“He has no choice,” Cress insisted, sounding like she was on the brink of tears. “But it doesn’t matter, because Levana’s going to kill him as soon as she becomes queen.”
The words hit Cinder like a physical blow, and she started to see red. “What?”
Cress shrank back from Cinder’s harsh tone. “She’s going to kill Kai. She was planning on killing him either way.” She paused. “Please say you can help him,” she said, her voice very soft. “I contacted you as soon as I knew.”
Cinder remained silent. She didn’t know what to say. She wanted to help Kai, but what could she do? She couldn’t just barge into a royal ball. She certainly wasn’t on the guest list. And the prospect of meeting Levana face-to-face chilled her to the bones.
“Please,” Cress sobbed, rubbing her hair between her thumb and forefinger to console herself. “I- I don’t want her to do this.”
Cinder set her jaw. Beneath her worry for Kai and her fear of Levana, at the core of her being, there was a deep anger. It burned red-hot in her body, and she doubted she’d be able to suppress it if she tried. She couldn’t tell if she was angry solely because Levana was planning on going back on her word, or if it was deeper than that- if she was angry because this woman, this monster, was planning to betray and kill her soulmate. Her Kai.
It didn’t matter. She’d made up her mind.
“Cress?” She said. Her voice sounded like steel. “Give me all the coronation information you’ve got.”
Cinder had had no choice but to enlist the help of Peony and Iko. She couldn’t hack into the royal guest list on her own, and there was no way she could get dressed on her own. Iko was busy doing the hacking- adding Cinder to the guest list and crafting her invitation- while Peony was doing Cinder’s hair.
“You really do have nice hair,” she said cheerily, tugging another piece of Cinder’s hair into place. She’d been overjoyed when Cinder had told her she was going to the ball, and even more so when she’d asked for help getting ready. “I wish you’d let me do it more often. You know, there’s this one style where-”
“Peony?” Cinder interrupted, trying not to snap.
“Yes?”
“This might not be the best time for hairstyling tips.”
“Oh.” Peony nodded. “Right.”
Cinder was so tense her back was beginning to ache. She was wearing one of Peony’s dresses, so it was a bit loose and a little too short, but it was the best option she had. She’d snagged a pair of silk gloves from Adri’s closet- something she’d pay for later, she knew- and Peony was styling her hair into a whimsical updo.
“I’m in the system,” Iko said suddenly. Her tone was relieved. “Let me just add you to-” Her voice cut off suddenly.
“Iko?” Cinder’s voice was high and taut. She didn’t think she could take any more bad news right now. “What is it?”
Iko’s voice was quiet. “You’re already on the guest list.”
There was a beat of silence in which Peony’s hands stilled in Cinder’s hair and the two girls stared at each other. “What?”
“You’re already on the guest list,” Iko repeated. “Your name- it’s already here. It says your invitation was sent out with all the rest.”
“That’s impossible,” Cinder said. Peony’s hands went back to work, tugging and twisting, and Cinder thought her head was going to explode. “I didn’t get an invitation.”
“My mom must have taken it,” Peony said. Her voice sounded low and dangerous, so un-Peony-like that Cinder shuddered. “It sounds just like something she would do.”
“I swear, that woman is so-”
“Iko,” Cinder cut in sternly.
“No, you’re right,” Peony sighed. “She’s awful to you. I don’t know why. I’m sorry, Cinder.” She patted the top of Cinder’s head. “Your hair’s done.”
“Thanks.” Cinder stood, sliding her feet into one of her cleaner pairs of boots. She hoped no one would be able to see them. She was dying to look in the mirror, but she was afraid it would make her chicken out, and she didn’t have time. Iko rolled over and handed her the invitation she’d printed. It looked real enough.
“Okay.” Cinder inhaled, rolling her head from side to side and popping her neck. “Let’s do this.”
She took a hover to the palace, and she was helped out of the car by a fancy-looking escort droid. Standing at the bottom steps of the palace, she felt simultaneously awestruck and very small. She really didn’t want to do this.
“Your invitation, madame?” The escort-droid extended its hand, waiting patiently. Cinder placed her fake invitation in its palm, her heart pounding, hoping against hope that the droid wouldn’t notice it was fake.
It scanned the invite and then beeped. Cinder half expected a crew of security to come and drag her away, but the droid simply said, “Welcome, Linh Cinder, special guest of Emperor Kaito. Please make your way to the doors, where someone will be waiting to take your coat.”
Cinder gaped. The escort droid stared blankly back, and Cinder shook herself out of her stupor and hurried up the steps. It was incredibly difficult to climb up them without tripping or stepping on the hem of her gown, so she grabbed fistfuls of it and heaved the skirt up above her ankles. She knew it’d get her weird looks, but she figured she’d get weird looks anyway, so it didn’t matter.
She was panting a little by the time she reached the top of the stairs, her hand pressing down on a stitch in her side. A guard was waiting beside the doors, and Cinder’s heart stopped for a moment, but he just acknowledged her with a nod and continued to stare straight ahead.
Okay, she thought. So far so good.
She stepped through the double doors, feeling her eyes widen as she crossed the threshold. The palace was teeming with people, men and women in vibrant colors and bold patterns. They all blended together in Cinder’s vision, and she wondered how she’d ever find Kai in a place like this.
Almost as though the thought had been spoken aloud, her gaze shifted and locked with Kai’s. His mouth fell into a little oh of surprise, his eyes wide, as they always seemed to be around her. Cinder started to hurry her way down the steps, but then she saw the woman at Kai’s side, and her feet stopped.
Levana.
The Lunar queen turned her way suddenly, and Cinder ducked behind another guest, her heart pounding. Levana terrified her. Levana terrified everyone. If she stayed at Kai’s side all night, Cinder would never have the chance to get him alone and pass along Cress’s warning.
She peeked out from behind the guest’s shoulder. Levana was turned away again, talking to a thaumaturge. Cinder breathed a sigh of relief. She and Kai locked gazes again, and she lifted her hand, curling her index finger. Come here.
Kai looked distressed, and Cinder motioned again before picking up her skirt and turning on her heel. She didn’t look over her shoulder to see if he was following her as she climbed the nearest staircase, but she suspected he was. She kind of suspected he’d follow her anywhere.
She had no idea where the staircase led, but she climbed it until she reached the upper landing. Ducking behind a pillar, she waited for Kai, her heart in her throat. If he didn’t come...
“I didn’t think you would come.”
Cinder jumped, spinning around. Kai stood on the other side of the pillar, picking at the material it was made out of so he wouldn’t have to look at her. She twisted her fingers together, her metal hand cold through her gloves. “I didn’t, either.”
He looked at her, and Cinder realized that his cheeks were faintly pink. Somehow, it was endearing, and she felt herself smiling. Kai ducked his head down again, his eyebrows knitting together. “Cinder, you shouldn’t be here.”
Cinder frowned. “But you invited me. I’m your special guest.”
His cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. “I know, but... I don’t want Levana... I don’t know what she’ll...”
“What?” Cinder asked, lowering her voice. She took a tiny step forward, feeling very daring and very stupid all at once.
Kai looked pained. “I have to marry her, Cinder.”
Cinder studied his face for a moment. “I know,” she said finally, her voice soft.
Kai’s eyebrows soot up. “How?”
Cinder stepped closer, angling her face so her voice would go into his ear and nowhere else. “That’s why I’m here. I found a D-COMM chip in your android, but it didn’t fit. I’d never seen anything like it before. It was Lunar, Kai. I finally plugged it into my portscreen today, and a girl called. She said she worked for Levana. She knew about the ball. She knew about the engagement.” Cinder paused, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth. “There’s something else.”
“What?” Kai demanded. He looked young and scared.
“She says...” Cinder’s voice trailed off, and she aimed her gaze at his chest, imagining she could see his heart pumping blood through his body. “She says Levana is going to kill you once she becomes queen.”
Kai stepped back, his back hitting the pillar, and Cinder rushed forward, gripping his wrists in her hands. “Kai, don’t freak out,” she begged. “We don’t- there’s not time. You have to stop this or she’ll kill you.”
“I can’t call it off!” Kai hissed. “If I don’t marry her, she’ll start a war!”
“But if you do marry her, she’ll kill you!”
“Better me than everyone else!”
Cinder stepped back, her hands falling from Kai’s. Her shock must have been written on her face, because Kai’s expression immediately shifted. He reached out to her, his eyes soft and apologetic. “Cinder, I’m sorry. But you don’t understand-”
“I understand perfectly!” Cinder felt herself shaking. Her self-control was cracking, and she knew it. “I understand that my soulmate is going to marry a monster who wants to murder him!”
Her chest was heaving from her elevated panic, and Kai stared at her, his lips parted. She stared right back. She shouldn’t have to be sorry for caring about him, especially not now. She fisted her hands in his shirt.
“You know?” Kai asked, his voice soft with wonder and surprise. Cinder nodded, pulling herself into his space. His arms encircled her waist. “For how long?”
“I saw the article,” Cinder said. She was shaking again, her voice unsteady and wild. “Please, Kai. Please don’t marry her. Please-”
“Cinder,” he said quietly, cutting her off. His eyes were sad, and Cinder knew that if she could, she’d be crying right now. “I have to.”
She took a shuddering breath, focusing on the feel of his heartbeat beneath her palm, and said, “Just do one thing.”
“What?”
“Kiss me.”
She closed her eyes, not sure if he was going to kiss her or walk away, but a moment later she had her answer. His lips were soft against hers and she gasped at the first touch, surprised at how it felt, and he pulled back briefly. “Are you okay?” He whispered against her cheek.
“No,” she answered, and pressed her lips to his again. She felt electric, filled to the brim with overwhelming emotion. She tried to remember if this was how kissing your soulmate was supposed to feel. Kai’s hand touched her cheek, her hair, and finally, the crown on the back of her neck. She kept him close with her hands on his lapels, kissing him hard enough to make sure he remembered it for a long time.
They broke apart, their breaths warm on their lips, and Cinder squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her lips together. She felt Kai touch her lips. “What?”
“I’m sorry,” Cinder said.
Kai frowned. “For what?”
She pressed a last kiss to his mouth, hard with their teeth knocking together, before saying, “This.”
She spun on her heel and ran down the stairs, her skirt bunched in her fists. Kai let out a surprised yelp behind her, but she didn’t slow down. She glanced up, and in the brief moment her eyes searched the crowd, she locked gazes with Levana.
The queen’s eyes were alight with fury, her pretty lips pulled into a vicious snarl. Cinder felt her breath catch in her throat. Her foot snagged on her skirt and her ankle twisted, metal twisting against metal, and she felt her foot break off.
She tumbled down the last few steps, seeing nothing but a blur. She landed at the bottom of the stairs, flat on her back, the wind getting knocked out of her. In her vision, she saw stars and silver crowns and metal feet. And then she saw Levana.
“Get up,” the queen hissed, her voice made of poison and silk. Cinder struggled to her knees. “How dare you come here and-”
“I’m Kai’s soulmate!” Cinder exclaimed.
Levana’s eyes narrowed. “Come again?”
Cinder’s head was spinning. She was aware that the party had halted around them, and she willed herself not to cower under the attention. “I’m Kai’s soulmate,” she repeated. She turned her head to the side, lifting tendrils of hair from her neck. “Here.”
There was a moment of stunned silence. Then, Levana curled her hand in Cinder’s hair and yanked. Cinder cried out in pain.
“Levana!” Kai’s hand shot out and gripped Levana’s wrist. Her thaumaturges immediately advanced on him. “Stop. What are you doing?”
“She is mine,” Levana growled, and her fury made her glamour flicker. Cinder flinched. “She is Lunar.”
Kai dropped Levana’s wrist and stepped back, his face wrought with confusion. “What?”
Levana slid her gaze to him impatiently. “This girl is Lunar. How many other fugitives are you harboring from my country?”
Kai shook his head. “I’m not- I didn’t know-” He stopped, turning his wide eyes to Cinder. “Cinder?” His voice cracked, and Cinder’s heart broke.
“It’s true,” she said, and Kai tore his gaze away. Cinder crawled forward on her hands and knees, desperate to reach him. “But it doesn’t matter, Kai, because our marks-”
“Our marks mean nothing now,” Kai said quietly. His gaze was fixed on the ground, and Cinder would’ve thought he’d turned to stone if not for the clenching and unclenching of his fist, the muscle jumping in his jaw. “You’re not my soulmate.”
Cinder let out a sob. She reached her hand out, aching to touch Kai- if she could just touch him, surely he would understand-
Levana dragged her back by her hair. Through a haze of pain, Cinder saw the queen’s face as she bent down to her ear. “I don’t know who you are,” she breathed, chilling and deadly, “but I am going to bring you back to Luna, and I am going to kill you.”
“Like you plan on killing Kai?” Cinder spat. Her skin felt hot and electric. “I know all about your plan, Levana. And I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to stop you.”
Levana let out a laugh, the sound dangerous and dark. “What a fragile little promise that is. Tell me, what power do you have, cyborg?”
“Enough,” Cinder answered. Then, feeling like a sun was bursting inside of her, she made Levana’s wrist snap back, the fingers releasing their grip on her hair.
Cinder stood, panting, and reveled in the way the thaumaturges were looking at her: with awe, and fear, and admiration. The queen herself was howling in pain and staring at her broken wrist, her hand held immobile under Cinder’s control. “I thought you were a shell,” she ground out, trembling with the effort to override Cinder’s power.
“Well,” Cinder said, pushing her sweaty hair off her face, “you thought wrong.”
She barely had a moment to bask in Levana’s stunned anger before she saw a blur of movement to her left, a guard flying towards her, and she was struck across the face and her world went dark.
She dreamt she was wearing Peony’s ball gown. But it fit her better, hugging her slender curves, and it glittered like stardust. She was splayed out on a lush carpet, her hair fanned around her, and she sat up, looking around. “Hello?”
She waited, but nobody said anything. She seemed to be alone. The room was dark, all the furniture swathed in a dark blue hue, and a magnificent chandelier hung above her head. Everything was ornate and lovely, old and majestic and well-loved. It wasn’t until she tried to stand that she realized her foot was reattached.
She was so busy rolling and flexing her new joint that she didn’t notice someone emerge from an adjoining room. “Hi,” Kai said, his voice soft, and Cinder shrieked, clapping a hand to her heart.
He was wearing pajamas, his hands stuffed into his pockets, his hair sleep-ruffled. He looked almost embarrassed, his muscles shifting subtly beneath his tank top. Truth be told, even after everything, the sight of him still made her feel like she was glowing.
“I was wondering if I’d see you here,” Kai confessed. He sat down on the edge of the bed, running his fingers through his hair and looking miserable.
Cinder frowned. “Where is ‘here’?”
“My room.” He gestured to it in a way that would be grand, but was done with such self-depreciation that it wasn’t. “I have to say, I’ve imagined you in my room a few times before, but usually it starts out a bit differently.”
“This is your room?” Cinder echoed, feeling bewildered and flustered and overwhelmed. “How am I here right now?”
“You’re not,” Kai said. “I mean, not really. It’s... a soulmate thing, I think.”
Cinder massaged her temples. “Stars. I’m in so over my head.”
He graced her with a half-smile. “I am too.”
She eyed him warily, not entirely convinced that this wasn’t a trap, one where he made her feel comfortable and then made her feel horrible. She didn’t think she could handle him refuting her as his soulmate again. “You brought me here,” she guessed, and he didn’t say anything. “To... yell at me?”
Kai squared his shoulders. “I thought about it. But it kind of seemed like a waste of time. And you’re not really here.”
Cinder put her hands on her hips. “Yeah, you mentioned that. But what does it mean?”
“It’s in our heads, I think?” He scrunched up his face, and Cinder tried not to find it adorable. “You’re asleep. I’m asleep. We... we’re just here.”
Cinder rubbed at her wrist, where skin met metal, annoyed and uncomfortable at the fact that her gloves were gone. She stared at him, not caring that he shifted uncomfortably, and said, “You think I’m a monster.”
“No, Cinder, that’s not-”
“You said I’m not your soulmate anymore,” she interrupted, her voice loud and trembling. “Is that true? Do you not want me anymore?”
Kai didn’t say anything, and Cinder felt her face crumble. If she could cry, surely she would be right now. She wished she could. She wanted Kai to see and to make him feel bad, because if he felt bad, it meant he still cared.
“It doesn’t matter if I want you or not,” Kai said finally, his voice sounding dead tired. “The marks don’t lie. We’re bonded. Nothing we do will change that.”
“Well, I’m so sorry to disappoint,” Cinder spat, sure her face looked nasty and mean. She turned her back to him, rubbing her arms to subdue the sudden goosebumps that had appeared. “Just... get me out of this weird dream thing so you can get on with your life.” And I can go to Luna and be murdered.
Kai sighed, and Cinder, suddenly feeling exhausted, sat down on the vanity chair. It was probably older than she was, and more expensive than anything she’d ever owned, but her feet ached and her head hurt and she didn’t know if she wanted to kiss Kai or slap him. She deserved to rest for a moment.
“When you wake up,” Kai said, fiddling with a loose thread on his pajama pants, “you’ll be in a jail cell. Beneath your pillow, there will be supplies from Dr. Erland, and a note with directions on how to find him. There will be one guard outside your door, but if your glamour from this evening is anything to go by, you’ll be able to deal with him just fine. I’ve made sure that security is at its minimum tonight.”
He said all of this in a calm, monotone voice, and didn’t look at her. She stared at him, gaping, and wondered suddenly if this was all just a result of the blow to the head she’d received. “Kai,” she started, but he held up his hand to stop her.
“No, don’t. I want to do this, Cinder. I want to help you. I am not going to let Levana kill you. And to be honest, I don’t really want to die, either. You seem like the best way to prevent that.”
She pushed herself off the chair, hurrying across the room to him and flinging her arms around his neck. Pressing her face into his hair, she murmured, “I was so afraid you would hate me forever.”
“I can’t,” he replied, curling his hands around Cinder’s and pressing them to his chest. He didn’t so much as flinch at the metal fingers. “Now go. You’ve got to save the world, right?”
She pulled back to look down at him, at the sad, hopeful little smile he wore on his face, and she made herself a promise to never let this boy down. “Right.”
He kissed her fingers, a new sense of urgency in his touch, and Cinder knew their time here was winding down. Feeling reckless and brave, she clambered into his lap, making his eyes fly wide in confusion. “Cinder?”
She answered by kissing him, draping her arms around his neck. There was nothing heavy in their kisses; although she could feel his hands climbing up her back, their lips were soft against one another, nothing but shy touches. Cinder felt like her heart could grow wings and soar.
They kissed for what felt like a hazy, indiscernible amount of time, but was probably only a handful of minutes. She sighed, curling her hand in Kai’s hair as he kissed her neck, not wanting this to end. “Kai.”
“Hm?” He hummed the sound against her throat, making her shudder.
She smoothed her hands down his arms, pressing her mouth against the shell of his ear. “I have to go.”
He stilled, his face resting in the crook of her neck. “I know.”
She sighed again, pressing her eyes shut and taking a moment to breathe him in. “Okay.” She leaned back so she could disentangle herself. Kai’s face was blissful and serene, and Cinder stood a little unsteadily, running a hand over her face. Her lips felt sweet and light. “Goodbye, Kai.”
“Goodbye, Cinder,” Kai said. He hung onto her hands until he had to let go, already drifting away and turning into a blurry haze. His voice, sounding like it was coming from very far away, said, “Good luck. Be safe.”
You too, she thought, but the sound didn’t leave her mouth.
She jolted awake on a stiff mattress, her head spinning and her heart racing. The room she was in was white and clerical and small, boxy enough to make her feel like a caged animal. Your jail cell, her mind supplied, and she leaned her forehead against the smooth wall. She was no longer in Peony’s ball gown, but a white jumpsuit instead, one that seemed to be a bit too large and hung off her wiry frame.
Remembering something else Kai had told her, she slid her hand beneath her lumpy pillow until it brushed against something. Pulling it out, she saw it was the package and note from Dr. Erland, as promised.
Keeping quiet, she tore the paper open. In it was nothing but her foot, a screwdriver, and a cyborg hand- a new cyborg hand, Cinder realized, one with hidden compartments and built-in necessities. She felt her interest pique. The note was brief, just explaining what the new hand did and how to find Dr. Erland.
Tying up her hair, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed to reattach her foot. Her lips curled up into a smile.
There was work to be done.