Author's Note: I wrote this for my English class and everyone liked it, so I decided to publish it here. This is the scene in Cinder when her Lunar powers start exploding and then she tries to run away but told from Kai's perspective. Hope you like it!

Bang! Kai flinched as the gun went off. The gun in Cinder's hand. The gun in the hand of the girl he loved. She was supposed to be his guest at the ball. What was happening?

So many things had happened in the past few hours. Cinder had warned him of a murder plot, he had defended her loyally against her cruel stepmother, and then she had revealed that she was a Lunar.

Kai had thought that was shocking, but it was nothing compared to what was happening now. She was a Lunar, fine. She had illegally immigrated to Earth as a baby. But then why was there now a gun in her hand?

The crowd, which had already been frenzied because of the exploding chandelier, was even more panicked now. Screaming mobs stampeded for the doors, knocking over the fancy oaken tables and ripping the embroidered tablecloths in their desperation.

Kai stood there dumbstruck, barely registering the moment the red-haired Lunar guard jumped in front of his queen and took a bullet to the shoulder. It took a moment for his brain to comprehend what had just happened. Cinder. The stolen gun. The shattered chandelier. She had just tried to assassinate the Lunar Queen.

But why?

He had thought that Cinder was an ordinary girl. He had thought she was safe to invite to the ball. Someone who he could be with, but also would not cause any trouble or disruption.

But now… here she was, looking like a madwoman as she clutched the gun and panted, seemingly terrified. He started to push against the surging crowds, trying to reach her, like a fish swimming against the current. Surely, if Kai could get to her, he could make everyone understand. This was a misunderstanding. Cinder would never try to kill Queen Levana.

He was almost there when Cinder dropped the gun and bolted out of the ballroom, through the massive doors that led into the royal gardens. Surprisingly, the queen didn't make a move to grab her. Kai saw her glamour flicker before she managed to compose herself.

But what she was shocked about, he had no idea.

Kai reached the queen and her entourage. All of the Lunars were not their usual immaculate selves, instead looking pale and shocked. The guard who had been shot didn't seem to care that blood was dripping over his armor, still in a defensive stance in front of the queen, eyes scanning for threats.

The queen, in a fit of temper, plowed over to the exit, her guard struggling to stay in front of her. All of the Peace Ball guests had cleared out by now, although anyone in their right mind probably would have cleared out upon seeing Levana's raging expression and fierce, sharp eyes. Kai raced over to the top of the stairs leading down into the gardens, then screeched to a halt. He grasped the railing to stop himself.

The sight before him was gruesome, so startling that he could barely believe his eyes. Kai's jaw fell as he took in Cinder lying sprawled on the steps. His eyes flitted from the dead wires dangling from her calf to the white velvet boot that had fallen off, and next to it, a rusty, battered cyborg foot. The same cyborg foot he had seen that day at the market.

So many realizations crashed into him at once, he barely stayed upright.

She was a cyborg.

Memories flashed through his mind. Cinder's desperation to hide the strange mechanical foot that Iko delivered to her. The tiny green dot he had seen glowing in her pupil that time in the elevator. Her refusal to ever take off her gloves or wear anything but pants and boots.

It all made sense now.

Every carefree smile. Every teasing, flirting comment. Every time he had pleaded with her to come to the ball with him.

He wished he could take it all back.

At least now he understood why she had never reciprocated the gestures. She didn't want to hurt him when she revealed her secrets.

Cyborg and Lunar. What else was she hiding?

Kai finally forced himself to look at her face. She was staring directly at him. The tremble in her lip, the flutter of her eyelashes. It was almost as if she was pleading with him to forgive her. To give her another chance. But how was he supposed to believe anything she did anymore?

He crept down the steps, picked up the cyborg foot, avoiding Cinder's piercing brown eyes. Jaw flexing, Kai studied every intricate joint and wire and screw.

He still didn't know why she had tried to assassinate the queen or what would happen between them next, but he knew one thing.

Nothing would ever be the same again.