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"Uh, I’er in the air "What are we talking about?"

Scarlet glanced at the captain "Would you stop pointing that gun at hiun to the side and folded his hands in his lap

"He doesn’t even know, does he?" Scarlet rounded on Cinder "You’ve put his life in danger--all of our lives in danger--and he doesn’t even knohy"

"It’s more complicated than that"

"Is it?"

"I haven’t even known for a week! I found out who I was the day after the ball, when I was sitting in a jail cell preparing to be handed over to Levana like a trophy So between breaking out of prison and running fro to save your life, I haven’t had ime I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you, but what do you wantat her temple "How could you not have known?"

"Because your grand to tell me"

"But isn’t that why you were at the ball?"

"Stars, no You think I would have been stupid enough to face Levana if I’d known the truth?" She hesitated "Well I don’t know For Kai, rasped her head with both hands "I don’t know I didn’t know"

Scarlet was suddenly dizzy froer, the rush of blood, the exhaustion The only response she could forhed "I’h, Cinder wilted onto a crate, staring down at her mis for a blow, and muttered, "I’m Princess Selene"

Thorne snorted and they all turned to him

He blinked "What, really?"

"Really"

The joking smile froze on his lips

A heavy silence was followed by a vibration beneath their feet and Iko’s voice "I don’t compute"

"That makes two of us," said Thorne "Since when?"

Cinder shrugged "I’m sorry I should have told you, but … I didn’t know if I could trust you, and I thought if I could find Michelle Benoit and have her explain sos to me, tell me how I came to be here, how I ca them fall li things out" She sighed "Iko, I’m really sorry I swear I didn’t know before"

Snapping his jaw shut, Thorne scratched at his chin "You’re Princess Selene," he said, testing the words "The crazy cyborg girl is Princess Selene"

"Is your gift intact?" Wolf asked He was sitting crookedly, trying not to put too ht on his side

"I think so," said Cinder, shifting unco how to use it"

"She controlled one of the … special operatives," said Scarlet "I saw her do it"

Cinder glanced down "Only barely I couldn’t maintain control"

"You were able to manipulate one of the pack? While Jael was there?"

"Yeah, but it ful I could only get to one of theh silenced her, before Wolf coughed painfully Still, an aered on his face "And this is why Levana wants you You are stronger than she is Or … you could be, with practice"

Cinder shook her head "You don’t understand That thaue had seven e one I’ as them"

"No, you don’t understand," said Wolf "Each pack is ruled by a thaue who controls when our animal instincts take over, when all we can think about is killing They’ve ift and used it to turn us into these monsters instead--with some physical modifications But it’s all connected to our ht as well be shells to thee citizens at once, can only keep hold of a dozen or so operatives That’s why our packs are kept so small Do you see?"

"No," said Cinder and Thorne at once

Wolf was still ses can only control a dozen operatives, fifteen at the enetic e to take one away from his master on your first atteh "I would not have thought it before, but now I think Her Majesty ht actually have cause to be afraid of you, Princess"

Cinder flinched "Don’t call , of course, you dofrom your response to your emperor’s announcement"