Cinder's earpiece screamed at her, and she silenced it with an irritated sigh. Kai would kill her for it as soon as she got back—because, yes, she was coming back—but the impossible task ahead would only get worse if she had to deal with his panicked yelling.

Dangerous. Right. As if every day of her life wasn't dangerous. As if she didn't know what she was getting into all those years ago when she joined REV. As if she didn't know what she was getting into when she was assigned to this mission.

She sat up, smoothing out the bunches in her full skirt. Brown hair tickled her neck where it had already escaped from the tight, twisted bun. Ignoring her own discomfort, she made her way down the hallway, graceful in the way she had been trained to be, glad that the long silk gloves and dress covered the metal eccentricities she'd spent her entire life hiding. Now, in Artemisia, where cyborg bias was worse than anywhere else in the world, it could mean her life if they were seen.

But Cinder knew this. Cinder didn't care. Because she was Cinder. And she was here for more reasons than attending a simple dance.

She was here to spy.

It took 2.37 seconds for her to spot Luna's queen. Instead of dancing, Levana stood at the edge of the swirling ball gowns and trapezing music, a shimmering glass of blood red wine in her hand that never reached her lips. A man stood in front of her, speaking, while she smiled coyly and nodded, occasionally interrupting him.

From here, all Cinder could see of him was his guard uniform and blonde ponytail, but when he turned to leave, her eyes met his blue-grey ones.

What was Jacin Clay doing here? Cinder could've sworn he was on a different mission, supposed to stay away from the ball, keeping an eye on Levana's room.

What did this mean?

Ducking behind a pillar before he could spot her, she breathed deeply and counted to thirty before sliding out from behind the pillar and taking another calculating look around. Jacin was gone, the Lunar queen was dancing, and—

"May I ask for a dance?"

Cinder turned her head, startled, to see handsome, sharp features and a familiar smile.

She flew behind the pillar again, dragging him by tie to the spot next to her.

"Cinder—"

"What the spades do you think you're doing here?"

"You turned me off and—"

"Don't you think I had a reason to? Kai, I can do this myself. You're making it worse by being here. You'll just get me caught, and then where we be?"

Kai made choking noises, and she realized she was still gripping his tie. She released him, but her glare and folded arms made it obvious she would not forgive him. Not today.

He tried a grin, rubbing his neck where the tie cut into his neck.

"I'm not used to seeing you in something so... stiff."

"Oh, so sorry, prince. Would you prefer if I smothered myself in grease?"

Kai's smile melted, and he shifted closer.

"I think she saw me."

"Go. Leave. Talk to her, dance, whatever, but she can't see us together."

Kai reluctantly walked away, before smiling and catching the eye of one of the dancers. He disappeared like that, into the seething mass of people and colors and gems and luxury she never quite got used to.

Absentmindedly fixing her hair and adjusting her dress, she closed her eyes and breathed until she calmed down.

With Kai here, now it was even more dangerous.

Sneak into Levana's room. Instal the new listening device. Get out, meet up with Kai at the gates.

It had been so simple. And it was all her fault she was here, that she didn't follow the instructions and, instead of leaving, decided she'd go after the queen herself.

No wonder Kai had followed her. For all she knew, this was suicide.

Practicing a smile, she turned her earpiece back on and stepped out into the light. The people cut through its yellow glow, profiles cast in a stunning golden dust. She found herself looking for Kai, picking him out of the crowd, finding him dancing with an girl in a blue dress.

Cinder caught her breath. She'd never seen someone so beautiful before. The princess.

The song ended, and Kai and Winter separated, Winter swept into the arms of—

Oh. That was why Jacin was still here.

Jacin and Winter danced, making their way closer and closer to Cinder. What a typical Jacin thing to do, trying to pull Winter from the mess that was about to start. Not that she could blame him; Cinder would do the same if Kai wasn't as much a spy as her, and she had any right to protect him.

They burst from the edge of the throng of dancers, passing her, both of them smiling. If she didn't know better, she would've thought they were simply leaving for fresh air. Not to escape. Not to run.

Not to do what she refused to do, what she should do, what made her such a fool. A brave, stupid fool.

Then a soft breeze fluttered against her neck, fingers closing over the pressure point where it met with her shoulder.

"I wasn't aware that you would be joining us tonight." Warm breath, soft voice. Cinder had never been so terrified in her life.

She stayed stalk still, biting the pain back with even, controlled breathing. Levana removed herself from Cinder, a smile on her lips as if between old friends.

"How did you—"

"You look so much like my dear sister did," Levana said, "before she died."

The last word should've been swallowed by the piercing music, the sound of feet on floor, and the rustling conversations that softened the rest of the sentence. Instead, it ricocheted through Cinder's mind, and whether it was Levana's intention or not, it ran in lines of text across her vision, over and over, like a chant. Like a prophesy.

Like fate.

Died. Died. Died. Death.

"So, tell me, my precious little niece, how did you survive the fire?"

Niece? Cinder gulped.

"Wha—"

Levana chuckled. "Do you not know? No one told you? Oh, this is too good."

Levana leaned in, pulling a long, red nail along Cinder's face. Warm blood trickled down her cheek, but she didn't flinch. She didn't so much as blink.

"I'm your aunt, Selene," she whispered in Cinder's ear. "And I'm going to kill you."