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Iko snorted--a derisive sound that Cinder hadn’t even thought escorts were capable ofat the tops of Pearl’s and Adri’s heads, she atte Kai would have said Things a good queen would have done to ease the tension To offer forgiveness

Instead, she turned away

Kinney fisted a hand against his chest and Cinder gave hih a pair of double doors She had asked hi--not the throne room that had seen so much blood, or the queen’s solar, or wherever Levana would have conducted such a thing She entered into a conference rooraph nodes, turned off

The rooulped, the uncanny silence nearly pushing her back into the hallway She recognized most of the up their profiles froas of the American Republic

Prime Minister Kadom

Governor-General Williams of Australia

Prime Minister Bromstad of the European Federation

Dr Nandez--the acclaieon, and Nainsi, the android that Cinder had fixed for Kai a long tiht to Luna to record this occasion for Earth’s official records

Adri and Pearl were escorted around the table

Which left only Iko, Kai, Konn Torin, and Cinder herself--or, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Selene Channary Jannali Blackburn of Luna She wondered if it was all right for her to ask that everyone just call her Cinder

Before she could speak, the world’s leaders rose to their feet and started to applaud Cinder recoiled

One by one, they went around the roo in turn

Suddenly panicked, Cinder looked at Kai He gave her a one-shouldered shrug, suggesting that, yeah, it’s weird, but you get used to it

When the circle came around to him, he too pressed one hand to his chest and inclined his head, the best bow he could give while still supporting her with one ar if she should curtsy, but she couldn’t perforraceful curtsy on her best of days, and it would be disastrous with all her injuries Instead she held her cyborg hand out to the had faded, but no one sat

Kai led Cinder to the head of the table and eased her into a seat Only then did the others follow, Kai taking the seat to Cinder’s right Adri and Pearl were sandwiched between Konn Torin and President Vargas They looked supre on such short notice," Cinder began She tried folding her hands on top of the table, but that felt strange, so she instead curled theer to return home"

"I’ at all sorry, "but ratulations on the recla started at the queen’s words, and Cinder had the i a queen as they were congratulating the to deal with Levana

"Thanks Thank you I hope you’ll understand that I … um I hope you’ll be patient with me This is all new for lanced around the table, at the eager, hopeful faces staring at her like she was soaze swept around the table, feeling more nervous and inadequate with every person she crossed--older, wiser, experienced--until Kai