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"Calm down, Miss Linh"

"Why? So you can lie to me some more, just like you lie to the prince?"

"If I have lied, it has only been to protect you"

"Protect ers "I understand you’re confused--"

"No, you don’t understand anything! A week ago, I knew exactly who I hat I was, and , but at least I knew that And no I’ic but can’t use it, and now there’s this insane queen who for some reason wants to kill me"

SPIKING LEVELS OF ADRENALINE, warned her control panel RECOMMENDED COURSE OF ACTION: SLOW, MEASURED BREATHS COUNTING 1, 2, 3…

"Please, cal that you were selected to receive this lock"

"I’uinea pig, don’t you know?"

"Like it or not, the lock has been beneficial to you"

"How?"

"If you would stop yelling, I would tell you"

She bit her lip and felt her breath stabilizing alainst her will "Fine, but tellher ar, Miss Linh" Dr Erland sighed, scratching at his te bioelectricity comes so natural to Lunars that it’s virtually i age Left to your own devices, you would have drawn too‘Lunar’ across your forehead And even if you could have learned to control it, the gift is such a funda it can create devastating psychological side effects--hallucinations, depression…even ether Waited "So you see, putting a lock on your gift protected you, in

"Do you understand how this was mutually beneficial?" continued the doctor "Linh Garan had his subject, and you were able to fit in with Earthens without losing your mind"

Cinder slowly leaned forward "Our?"

"Pardon?"

"Our You said, the gift is ‘a fundamental part of our internalthe lapels of his coat "Ah Did I?"

"You’re Lunar"

He took off his hat and tossed it onto the desk He looked soing to, Miss Linh Only trying to think how to explain in a way that willher jaw, Cinder hopped out of the chair again and backed away froht appear a "Lunar" tattoo on his brow "How can I believe anything you’ve said? How do I know you’re not brainwashing la people all day, I would at least noring hi of the queen on the balcony, how her optobionics had warned her of a lie even when nothing had been said Somehow, her brain was able to tell the difference between reality and illusion, even when her eyes couldn’t

Squinting, she jutted a finger at the doctor "You did use your mind control on me When we met You…you brainwashed me Just like the queen Youer wavered

Dr Erland opened his palms to her "I assure you, Miss Linh, in the twelve years that I have been on Earth, I have not abused the gift once, and I a the price for that decision every day My ical health,s of those around me Not all Lunars can be trusted--I know that as well as anyone--but you can trust ulped and braced herself on the back of the chair "Does Kai know?"

"Of course not No one can know"

"But you work in the palace You see Kai all the tih Dr Erland’s blue eyes "Yes, and why should this upset you?"

"Because you’re Lunar!"

"As are you Should I consider the prince’s safety threatened because he asked you to the ball?"

"That’s different!"

"Don’t be dense, Miss Linh I understand the prejudices In iven Earth’s history with Luna But it does notdevils Believe me--there is not a person on this planet ould like to see Levana off the throne more than I would I would kill her one cherry pink, his eyes blazing

"All right" Cinder pinched the chair’s cushion until she felt the ers "I can accept that Not all Lunars are devils, and not all Lunars are as easily brainwashed into following Levana But even of those ish to defy her, howthe doctor "So why did you?"

Dr Erlandto stand, but after a hesitation, his shoulders sank, deflated "She killed hter"