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Pulse thu to trickle toward the great hall, but plenty of guests were still fluttering around one another in no apparent hurry No one was paying them any attention This woman, too, seemed to have eyes only for Thorne Cress racked her brain for so suspicion or drawing attention to herself

Then the woht flew out of Cress’s head Dumbfounded, Thorne offered no resistance as she pulled hinantly, at the saroup of Lunar women chortled not far away "Good eye, Luisa," one of them called, followed by another: "If you spot any more pretty Earthens like that one, send them my way!"

Neither Thorne nor Luisa seehast, Thorne slid his arms around Luisa’s body and drew her closer

Cress clenched her fists, her shoulders, her entire body She was appalled Then annoyed Then logic began to creep in and she realized that, while they were probably just toying with Thorne, they would not be so kind to her if they figured out she was i with contempt, Cress backed into an alcove behind a pillar There she waited, arms crossed and red sparks in her vision, as Thorne kissed the girl

And kissed her

And kissed her

Cress’s fingernails had left painful crescent moon imprints in her skin by the time they finally pulled apart

Luisa fluttered her lashes, breathless "You’ve been wanting that awhile, haven’t you?"

Cress rolled her eyes skyward

And Thorne said …

Thorne said …

"I think I’asped, actually gasped froain The puncture wound in her chest quickly filled with resentment

If she had to watch hi to screaalaxy he didn’t try to kiss and woo and flirt with?

Well, he had kissed her that one time on the rooftop, but it had been as a favor to her and hardly counted

She withdrew farther into the alcove, seething, but also hurt That was it, then He never would desire her, not like these other girls who caught his eye Cress had to accept the fact that their kiss--theesture ?" said the woman "And not a bad kisser, either Maybe we can enjoyfor a response, she patted Thorne on the chest and winked, before swaying away down the hall

The adoring peanut gallery, too,Thorne in the middle of the corridor, stunned His cheeks were flushed, his eyes dark hat Cress assumed was lust, and his hair was messed where Luisa had clawed her hands into it

Luisa Who he loved

Cress squeezed her ar, bewilderedeffects of thein a full circle His hand smoothed down his unkempt hair

"Cress?" he asked, not too loudly at first, but then, with groorry, "Cress!"

"I’ed with relief "Spades I’m sorry I don’t knohat happened That was--"

"I don’t want to know" Pushing herself away from the wall, Cress started down the hallway

Thorne chased after her "Whoa, hey, hold on Are you esture "You have the right to flirt with and kiss and proclaiood, because you do All the time"