Page 1 of Cinder's Adventure: Get Me To the Wedding!

Chapter 1

Cinder sat on a tufted chair in the private quarters in New Beijing Palace, ignoring her reflection in the large mirror that loomed over the vanity before her. It wasn’t that she was displeased with her reflection, even though she never feltquitelike herself after the retinue of servants had gotten ahold of her, and today’s regime was perhaps the most intensive progression of pastes, creams, and cosmetics she’d ever endured. Iko had finally stepped in—she could always tell when Cinder was at the end of her tolerance level for these things—and had shooed the retainers away before doing Cinder’s hair herself. No ponytail today, she’d insisted. Instead, Cinder’s brown hair had been done up in a classic twist, ornamented with a single white peony flower. Homage to the sister she wished could have been there.

But Cinder wasn’t thinking about Peony or the past or what could have or should have been. Not at that moment. She was staring at her engagement ring. A single ruby set into a golden band, framed by a ring of diamonds. The ring had a history that sometimes left her feeling panicked when she stopped to think about it. It had been passed down through the Eastern Commonwealth’s royal family for generations, from empress to empress—worn by Kai’s great-grandmother and grandmother and mother—and now it had made its way toher.

There were times when she could hardly breathe for fear that she might lose it somehow.

But even those fears weren’t what was swirling through her thoughts now.

No, she was admiring the way the jewels glittering against her steel fingers made her cyborg hand seem almost… elegant.

In a few short hours, she would be married.

As the lights from the room caught on the gems and sent a kaleidoscope of sparkles across the mirror, she wondered what Kai was doing now. Probably being hassled by attendants, as well, though it never bothered him like it did her. Was he as nervous as she was?

She tore her gaze from the ring and met her own eyes in the reflection.

Yes—she was nervous, but she was also smiling.

Could anyone be as happy as she was in this moment? After all that had happened in their first year of knowing each other—from imprisonment and escapes to kidnappings, revolutions, and wars—the years since had been relatively quiet. She and Kai had enjoyed a long engagement. There had never felt like much need to hurry, and their lives had been so hectic with their own responsibilities—him to the Eastern Commonwealth and her to Luna. Months of diplomatic meetings between Earth and Luna, and finally ushering in a new era in Luna’s history when Cinder chose to dissolve the monarchy and host their first elections for a new leader.

Until finally,finally, the time had felt right.

Her new role as a Lunar ambassador had brought her to Earth more frequently, and everyone knew that eventually she would become the empress.Sheknew that she would eventually become the empress.

But those words paled in comparison to a greater joy unfurling in her stomach.

After today, she would be Kai’s wife. Kai would be her husband.

And it would happen, strangely enough, in the very ballroom where she had once fought off Queen Levana, her wicked aunt, in an effort to save Kai’s life. The wedding would happen in the same ballroom where Kai had learned that she was cyborg and Lunar, where he had once ordered her arrest.

Who would have imagined that now, all these years later—

“Cinder,whatare you doing?”

Her head snapped up. She looked at the reflection of the room’s door in the mirror, expecting to see Iko. But the door was closed and Iko wasn’t there.

Frowning, she glanced around and spotted Iko, not at the door, but seated on the sill of the open window.

Cinder gasped and launched herself from the seat. “Iko, what are you—?”

“You’re going to be late!” Iko interrupted. “Torin is in a tizzy over it all. Come on, come with me, before we’re both in huge trouble.”

“Late?” Cinder noted the time on the clock embedded in her retinal interface. “We still have hours, and I’m not even in my dress yet.” She gestured at the elaborate gown hung on the wardrobe doors—bold red with a golden phoenix embroidered on the skirt, its tail feathers flowing down into a train so long she imagined it unfurling all the way Scarlet and Wolf’s farm in southern France.

Then she gestured at her much more practical outfit of cargo pants and a black tank top.

Iko rolled her eyes. “One of these days, I’m going to burn every pair of cargo pants you own.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would, and you know it. Also—what’s with the boots? We’re in a palace. All you have to do is walk from here to the ballroom. It isn’t like you’re going to be tromping through mud puddles or something.”

Cinder shrugged uncomfortably. “Well—you’rewearing bunny ears,” she muttered.

The diversion worked. Iko preened and touched one of the soft white ears poking up from amid her blue braids. “I had them imported. They’re all the rage in Artemisia right now.”

Cinder rolled her eyes. “Would you come inside? We’re on the fourth floor! How did you even get up here?”

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