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Iko let off an unusually pitchy noise, one that Cinder thoughtthe ship You know, so long as you needof you"

One of the engine fans slowed "That was a joke, wasn’t it?"

Laughing, Cinder practiced spinning the chip like a top on the tip of her finger It took a few tries before she got the hang of it and could watch it sparkle and dance without much effort

"How about you?" Iko said after a moment "How does it feel to be a real princess?"

Cinder flinched The chip tuht it "So far it’s not nearly as fun as one would i tooto let everyone down? Because that all sounded pretty faht be the case"

"Are youCinder’s stomach in knots

"No," Iko said, finally, and Cinder wished that her lie detector worked on androids--or spaceships "But I’ured that Queen Levana would tire of searching for us, and eventually we’d be able to go hoain But that’s never going to happen, is it?"

Cinder gulped and started flipping the chip over her fingers again "I don’t think so"

Click, click, click

She exhaled a long breath and flipped the chip one last ti to murder Kai after they’re married She’ll be coronated as empress, and then she’ll kill him, and she’ll have the entire Commonwealth under her control After that, it will only be a matter of time before she invades the rest of the Union" She swept her hair off her forehead "At least, that’s what this girl told rip, suddenly afraid that her metal fist would crush the chip while she was distracted

"But I like Kai"

"You and every other girl in the galaxy"

"Every girl? Are you finally including yourself in that count?"

Cinder bit her lip She knew Iko was thinking back to all the times Cinder had teased Peony for her hopeless crush on the prince, pretending to be i, long tiirl she was back then

"I just know that I can’t let hi "I can’t let hih with it"

She held up the chip between her thuer Her new hand still felt too new So clean, so untarnished She squinted and let the electric current flow fro up her wrist until the hand looked huoing to do?"

Cinder gulped and let the glaain--not flawless titaniurime caked into the crevices, a little too s hand she’d replaced The one she’d always hidden--usually with heavy, work-stained cotton Once with silk

The girl she’d been back then The one she’d always tried to keep hidden

An orange light blinked at the corner of her eye She ignored it

"I’er than she is" She flipped the chip again It ard at first, ers in the illusion moved just how they were supposed to, that the joints flexed andto find Dr Erland, and he’s going to teach irl who progra she knows about Luna and its security and all the queen’s secrets"

Click Click Click

"And then I’"