portscreen from his belt and peered down. “You see, I figured it’s probably too much to hope that New Beijing’s most renowned mechanic is having trouble with her port, so I figured there must be something wrong with mine.” Screwing up his lips, he whapped the corner of his portscreen on the table, then checked the screen again with a heavy sigh. “Nope, nothing. Maybe she’s been ignoring my comms on purpose.”
“Maybe she’s been busy?”
“Oh, yes, you look completely overwhelmed.”
Cinder rolled her eyes.
“Here, I brought you something.” Kai put the portscreen away and pulled his hand out from behind him, producing a long, flat box wrapped in gold foil and a white ribbon. The paper was gorgeous, the wrapping job less so.
Cinder dropped the screwdriver with a clatter. “What’s that for?”
A flash of hurt crossed his face. “What? I can’t buy you a gift?” he asked, in a tone that nearly stopped the electric pulses in her wiring.
“No. Not after I’ve ignored six of your comms in the last week. Are you dense?”
“So you did get them!”
She propped her elbows on the table, sinking her chin into both palms. “Of course I got them.”
“So why are you ignoring me? Did I do something?”
“No. Yes.” She squeezed her eyes shut, massaging her temple. She’d thought the hard part was over. She would disappear, and he would go on with his life. She would spend the rest of her life watching as Prince, no, Emperor Kai gave speeches and passed bills. As he went on diplomatic missions around the world. As he shook hands and kissed babies. She would watch him marry. She would watch as his wife gave him children—because the whole world would watch it happen.
But he would forget about her. Which is what needed to happen.
How naive of her to think it could be so simple.
“No? Yes?”
She fumbled, thinking it should have been easy to blame her silence on Adri, her cruel stepmother who had refused to let her leave the house, but it was not that easy. She couldn’t risk giving him hope. She couldn’t risk anything that might change her mind.
“It’s just that I…”
She drew back, knowing she should tell him. He thought she was a mere mechanic, and he was, perhaps, willing to cross that social divide. But to be both cyborg and Lunar? To be hated and despised by every culture in the galaxy? He would understand in a moment why he needed to forget her.
More than that, he probably would forget her just as quickly.
Her metal fingers jerked. Her right hand was burning hot beneath the cotton.
Pull off the gloves and show him.
She mindlessly reached for the hem, fingering the grease-stained material.
But she couldn’t. He didn’t know. She didn’t want him to know.
“Because you kept going on and on about the stupid ball,” she said, cringing at her own words.
He dropped a cursory glance to the gold box in his hands. The tension melted until his arms dropped to his sides. “Stars, Cinder, if I’d known you were going to embargo me for asking you on a date, I wouldn’t have dared.”
She cast her gaze skyward, wishing he’d been at least a little annoyed with her response.
“All right, you don’t want to go to the ball. Got it. I won’t mention it again.”
She fidgeted with the fingertips of her gloves. “Thanks.”
He set the box down on the table.
She shifted uncomfortably, unable to reach for it. “Don’t you have something important to be doing? Like, running a country?”
“Probably.” Leaning forward, he flattened one hand on the desk and leaned over, straining to see into Cinder’s lap. Her heart jolted and she scooted herself closer to the table, thrusting her foot as far out of his line of sight as possible.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Are you all right?”
“Fine. Why?”
“You’re usually the prime example of royal etiquette, but you didn’t even stand up. And I was so prepared to be the gentleman and urge you to sit back down again.”
“So sorry to steal that proud moment from you,” she said, sinking lower in her seat. “But I’ve been here since dawn and I’m tired.”
“Since dawn! What time is it now?” He reached for his portscreen.
“13:04.”
He paused with his hand on the gadget at his waist. “Well. It’s time for a break then, right?” He beamed. “Might I have the honor of treating you to lunch?”
Panic sparked in the back of her head and she sat up straight. “Of course not.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m working. I can’t just leave.”
He