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Cinder’s internal warnings went off Spiking adrenaline She sucked down a breath "I went to join the protests, all right? Is that a crime?"

"I was under the i, as you were supposed to be doing To sneak out of the house without perratuitous parade, and all the while Peony is--" Her voice hitched Adri lowered her eyes, collected herself, but her voice was thicker when she spoke again "Your records also show you took a hover ride today, to the outskirts of the city, the old warehouse district It see to run away"

"Run away? No There is…that’s where…" She hesitated "There’s an old parts store down there I was going for parts"

"Is that so? And pray tell, where did you get the aze to the floor

"This is unacceptable," said Adri "I will not tolerate such behavior fro around the door, she saw Pearl sneaking from her bedroom, drawn to her mother’s raised voice She turned back to Adri

"After everything that I’ve done for you," continued Adri, "everything we’ve sacrificed, you have the gall to steal from me"

Cinder frowned "I didn’t steal from you"

"No?" Adri’s knuckles whitened "A few univs for a hover ride I could have overlooked, Cinder, but tell me, where did you obtain the 600 univs in order to pay for your--" Her eyes fell to Cinder’s boots, lips curling in a sneer "--your new limb? Isn’t it true that that money was reserved for rent and food and household expenses?"

Cinder’s stomach clenched

"I screened Iko’swith the pearls that Garan gave me for our anniversary Itfrohs, glad, for once, that she’d never told Iko about being Lunar "It wasn’t--"

"I don’t want to hear it" Adri bunched her lips "If you hadn’t been out dallying all day you would know that"--her voice rose, bolstered, as if anger alone could keep tears at bay--"that I now have a funeral to pay for 600 univs would have bought et that s in order to afford it, and you will be required to ripped the doorja Peony back, but she didn’t have the strength Shutting her eyes, she planted her brow against the cool wood fra to understand what I can be going through You are not part of this family You aren’t even huer drained out of her She just wanted Adri to stop talking so she could go to her room and be alone and think about Peony The antidote Their escape

"No, Cinder Hu her arms protectively around herself

"Go ahead Shed a tear for your little sister I see, so why don’t you share the burden?"

"That’s not fair"

"Not fair?" Adri barked "What isn’t fair is that you are still alive while she is not That is not fair! You should have died in that accident They should have let you die and leftme! I didn’t ask to live I didn’t ask to be adopted I didn’t ask to beNone of this is my fault! And Peony isn’t my fault either, and neither is Garan I didn’t start this plague, I didn’t--"

She stopped herself as Dr Erland’s words crashed down on her Lunars had brought the plague to Earth Lunars were at fault Lunars

"Did you just short-circuit?"

Cinder shook off the thought and threw a silent glare at Pearl before swinging back toward Adri "I can get the h to buy Peony the most beautiful plaque--or a real tombstone even"

"It is too late for that You have proven that you have no part in this family You have proven that you cannot be trusted" Adri smoothed her skirt over her knees "As punish to run away this afternoon, I have decided you will not be allowed to attend the annual ball"

Cinder bit back a wry laugh Did Adri think she was a fool?

"Until further notice," Adri continued, "you will go only so far as the base the week and to your booth at the festival so you can begin repaying ers into her thighs, too incensed to argue Every fiber, every nerve, every as tre

"And you will leave your foot with me"

She started "Excuse ht it with my money, therefore it is mine to do with as I please In some cultures they would cut off your hand, Cinder Consider yourself fortunate"

"But it’s my foot!"

"And you will have to do without it until you can find a cheaper replaceust "You are not hu, Cinder struggled to forally, Cinder belonged to Adri She had no rights, no belongings She was nothing but a cyborg

"Youher eyes toward the empty mantel "Just be sure to leave your foot in the hallway before going to bed tonight"