Im sure he will tell you immediately if there are.

Kai set his jaw and fixed his gaze on Torin, the man who had been his fathers adviser since before Kai was born. Even now, standing in the same room with Torin made him feel like a child, gave him a peculiar urge to be unruly. He wondered if he would ever get over that.

I need to feel like Im doing something, he said. I cant just stand here watching him die.

Torins eyes dropped. I know, Your Highness. Its hard for all of us.

Its not the same, Kai wanted to say, but held his tongue.

Torin turned away from him, facing the window, and bowed his head. Long live the emperor.

Kai repeated the words, whispering around the dryness in his throat. Long live the emperor.

They were silent leaving the visitors room and walking down the hallway to the elevators.

A woman was waiting for them. Kai should have expected itshe was always nearby these days, when she was the last person on Earth he wanted to see.

Sybil Mira. Head thaumaturge to the Lunar Crown. Exceptionally beautiful, with waist-length black hair and warm, honeyed skin. She wore the uniform befitting her rank and title: a long white coat with a high collar and bell-shaped sleeves, embroidered along the hems with runes and hieroglyphs that meant nothing to Kai.

Five paces behind her stood her ever-present, ever-silent guard. He was a young man as handsome as Sybil was beautiful, with blond hair pulled into a low ponytail and sharp features that Kai had yet to see an expression on.

Sybils lips curved as Kai and Torin approached, but her gray eyes remained cold.

Your Imperial Highness, she said with a graceful dip of her head. How fares the honorable Emperor Rikan?

When Kai didnt respond, Torin answered, Not well. Thank you for your concern.

I am most displeased to hear that. She sounded about as displeased as a cat whod just cornered a mouse. My mistress sends her condolences and a wish for a speedy recovery.

She fixed her eyes on the prince, and her image seemed to shudder before him like a mirage. Whispers filled his head. Respect and admiration, compassion and concern.

Kai tore his gaze from her, silencing the voices. It took a moment for his racing pulse to steady.

What do you want? he said.

Sybil gestured toward the elevators. A word with the man who will soon be emperorshould the fates deem it so.

Kai glanced at Torin, but the face that met him was unsympathetic. Tact. Diplomacy. Always. Especially when it came to the cursed Lunars.

Sighing, he half turned to the waiting android. Third floor.

The sensor flashed. Please proceed to elevator C, Your Highness.

They boarded the elevator, Sybil floating into it like a feather upon a breeze. The guard entered last, staying by the door and facing the three of them as if the thaumaturge were in mortal danger. His icy gaze made Kai uncomfortable, but Sybil seemed to forget the guard was even there.

This is a tragic time for His Majesty to fall ill, she said.

Kai gripped the rail and faced her, pressing his hatred into the polished wood. Would next month have been more convenient for you?

Her patience didnt falter. I speak, of course, of the alliance discussions my mistress has been engaged in with Emperor Rikan. We are most eager for an agreement that will suit both Luna and the Commonwealth.

Watching her made him feel dizzy, off balance, so he tore his gaze away and watched the numbers above the doors descend. My father has been attempting to secure an alliance with Queen Levana since she first took the throne. She has always declined.

He has yet to meet her sensible demands.

Kai locked his teeth.

Sybil continued, My hope is that, as emperor, you will be better able to see reason, Your Highness.

Kai was silent as the elevator passed floors six, five, four. My father is a wise man. At this time, I have no intention of altering any of his previous decisions. I do hope we will be able to come to an agreement, but Im afraid your mistress will need to lower her very sensible demands.

Sybils smile had frozen on her face.

Well, she said as the doors opened to the third floor, you are young.

He dipped his head, pretending shed given him a compliment, then faced Torin. If you have a minute to spare, perhaps you could walk with me to Dr. Erlands office? You may have questions Ive not thought of.

Of course, Your Highness.

Neither of them acknowledged the thaumaturge or her guard as they left the elevator, but Kai heard her sugared voice behind themLong live the emperorbefore the doors shut.

He growled. We should have her incarcerated.

A Lunar ambassador? Thats hardly a show of peace.

Its better treatment than they would give us. He raked a hand through his hair. GahLunars.

Realizing that Torin had stopped following, Kai dropped his hand and turned around. Torins gaze was heavy. Worried.

What?

I know this is a difficult time for you.

Kai felt his hackles rise in self-defense and tried to nudge them back down. This is a difficult time for everyone.

Eventually, Your Highness, we will have to discuss Queen Levana and what you intend to do about her. It would be wise to have a plan.

Kai stepped closer to Torin, ignoring a group of lab technicians that were forced to swarm around them. I have a plan. My plan is to not marry her. Diplomacy be damned. There. End of discussion.

Torins jaw flexed.

Dont look at me like that. She would destroy us. Kai lowered his voice. She would turn us into slaves.

I know, Your Highness. His sympathetic eyes diffused Kais mounting anger. Please believe me when I say I would not ask it of you. Just as I never asked it of your father.

Kai backed away and slumped against the corridor wall. Scientists bustled past in their white coats, android treads whirred on the linoleum, but if anyone noticed the prince and his adviser, they didnt show it.

All right, Im listening, he said. Whats our plan?

Your Highness, this is not the place

No, no, you have my attention. Please, give me something to think about other than this stupid disease.

Torin took a calculated breath. I dont think we need to rewrite our foreign affairs policy. Well follow your fathers example. For now, well hold out for a peace agreement, a treatise.

And if she wont sign it? What if she gets tired of waiting and decides to follow through on her threats? Can you imagine a war right now, with the plague, and the economy, andshe would destroy us. And she knows that.

If she wanted to start a war, she would have done it by now.

Unless shes just biding her time, waiting for us to get so weak we wont have any choice but to surrender. Kai scratched at the back of his neck, watching the bustle of the corridor. Everyone so busy, so determined in their search for an antidote.

If there were an antidote.

He sighed. I should have married. If Id already married, Queen Levana wouldnt even be an issue. Shed have to sign a peace treatyif she wanted peace.

At Torins silence, he forced himself to look back at the adviser, surprised to find a rare warmth in his face.

Perhaps youll meet a girl at the festival, said Torin. Have a whirlwind romance, a happily ever after, and have no more worries for the rest of your days.

Kai tried to glare at him but couldnt maintain it. Torin so rarely joked. Brilliant idea. Why didnt I think of it? He turned, bracing his shoulder against the wall, and folded his arms over his chest. Actually, maybe theres one option that you and my father havent considered yet. Something thats been on my mind lately.

Do tell, Your Highness.

He lowered his voice. Lately, Ive been doing a little research. He paused, before proceeding. Onon the Lunar heir.

Torins eyes widened. Your Highness

Just hear me out, Kai said, raising his hands to silence Torin before he could be chastised. He already knew what Torin would say: Princess Selene, Queen Levanas niece, was dead. She had died in a fire thirteen years ago. There was no Lunar heir.

There are rumors every day, Kai continued. Sightings, people claiming they helped her, theories

Yes, weve all heard the theories. You know as well as I theres no substance to them.

But what if theyre true? Kai crossed his arms and ducked his head toward Torin, voice trailing to a whisper. What if theres a girl out there who could usurp Levana? Someone even stronger?

Are you listening to yourself? Someone stronger than Levana? You mean someone like her sister, who had her favorite seamstresss feet chopped off so she would have nothing better to do than sit and make her fine dresses?

Were not talking about Queen Channary.

No, were talking about her daughter. Kai, the entire bloodline, every last one of them has been greedy, violent, corrupted by their own power. Its in their blood. Believe me when I say that Princess Selene, even if she were alive, would be no better.

Kai realized his arms were aching from squeezing them so hard, his skin gone white around his fingertips. She cant very well be worse, he said. And who knows? If the rumors are right, and she has been on Earth all this time, maybe she would be different. Maybe she would be sympathetic to us.

Youre basing this wishful thinking on rumors.

They never found a body.

Torin pursed his lips in a thin line. They found what was left of one.

It couldnt hurt to do some research, could it? said Kai, beginning to feel desperate. His heart had been set on the idea for so long, his research harbored so close to his heart. He couldnt bear to think it had all been just wishful thinking, although the possibility had always lingered in the back of his mind.

Yes, it could hurt, said Torin. If Levana were to find out you were considering this, it would destroy our chance at procuring a treaty. We shouldnt even be talking about this hereits dangerous.

Now whos listening to rumors?

Your Highness, this is the end of this discussion. Your objective right now must be to prevent a war, not worrying about phantom Lunar princesses.

What if I cant prevent it?

Torin opened his palms, looking weary after the argument. Then the Union will fight.

Right. Excellent plan. Im so comforted now that weve had this talk.

He turned away and marched blindly toward the labs.

Sure, the Earthen Union would fight. But against Luna, they would lose.

Chapter Thirteen

YOUR CONTROL PANEL IS MARVELOUSLY COMPLEX. SOME OF the highest technology Ive ever seen in a cyborg. Dr. Erland spun the holograph one way and then the other. And look at this wiring along your spine. It melds almost perfectly with your central nervous system. Pristine workmanship. And ah! Look here! He pointed to the holographs pelvis. Your reproductive system is almost untouched. You know, lots of female cyborgs are left infertile because of the invasive procedures, but from the looks of it, I dont suspect you will have any problems.

Cinder sat on one of the exam tables, chin settled atop both palms. Lucky me.

The doctor wagged a finger at her. You should be grateful your surgeons took such care.

Im sure Ill feel much more grateful when I find a guy who thinks complex wiring in a girl is a turn-on. She kicked her heels against the metal base of the table. Does this have anything to do with my immunity?

Maybe, maybe not. The doctor took a pair of spectacles from his pocket and slid them onto his face, still staring at the holograph.

Cinder tilted her head. Dont they pay you enough for corrective eye surgery?

I like the way these feel. Dr. Erland dragged the holograph down, revealing the inside of Cinders head. Speaking of eye surgery, do you realize youre missing tear ducts?

What? Really? And I thought I was just emotionally withdrawn. She pulled her feet up, hugging her knees. Im also incapable of blushing, if that was going to be your next brilliant observation.

He turned around, his eyes magnified behind their spectacles. Incapable of blushing? How so?

My brain monitors my body temperature, forces me to cool down if I get too warm, too fast. I guess just sweating like a normal human being wasnt enough.

Dr. Erland pulled his portscreen out, punched something in. Thats really quite smart, he muttered. They must have been worried about your system overheating.

Cinder strained her neck, but couldnt see the little screen on his port. Is that important?

He ignored her. And look at your heart, he said, gesturing at the holograph again. These two chambers are made primarily of silicon, mixed with bio tissue. Amazing.