Cinder Marissa Meyer Quotes & Sayings

You deserve better than some thief who's going to end up in jail again. Everyone knows it. Even I know it. But you seem determined to believe I'm a actually a decent guy who's halfway worthy of you. So, what scares me most" - he twisted a lock of hair between his fingers - "is that someday even you will realize that you can do better." "Thorne ... " "Not to worry." He kissed the lock of hair. "I am a criminal mastermind, I have a plan." Clearing his throat, he started to check things off in the air. "First, get a legitimate job - check. Legally buy my ship - in progress. Prove that I'm hero material by helping Cinder save the world - oh, wait, I did that already." He winked. "Oh, and I have to stop stealing things, but that's probably a given. So I figure, by the time you realize how much I don't deserve you ... I might kind of deserve you — Marissa Meyer

Speaking of eye surgery, do you realize you're missing
tear ducts?"
"What? Really? And I thought I was just emotionally
withdrawn. — Marissa Meyer

Let's pick it up," the man behind her said. "How many more of the tranquilizers do you have?"
"Just three," the girl panted.
"Gonna have to restock."
"Right. I'll just ... head down ... to the convenience store, and-" she didn't finish, the strain too much. — Marissa Meyer

Soon, the whole world would be searching for her
Linh Cinder.
A deformed cyborg with a missing foot.
A Lunar with a stolen identity.
A mechanic with no one to run to, nowhere to go.
But they will be looking for a ghost. — Marissa Meyer

My net search is finding only a Cadet Carswell Thorne, of the American Republic, imprisoned in New Beijing prison on - "
"That's him," said Cinder, ignoring Thorne's glare.
Another silence as the heat in the engine room hovered just upside of comfortable. The, "You're ... rather handsome, Captain Thorne."
Cinder groaned.
"And you, my fine lady, are the most gorgeous ship in these skies, and don't let anyone ever tell you different."
The temperature drifted upward, until Cinder dropped her arms with a sigh. "Iko, are you intentionally blushing?"
The temperature dropped back down to pleasant. "No," Iko said. Then, "But am I really pretty? Even as a ship?"
"The prettiest," said Thorne. — Marissa Meyer

His lips twitched, but didn't quite become a smile. "I love you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I want to marry you, and yes, I want you to be my empress."
Cinder gaped at him for a long moment before she whispered, "That's a lot of wanting."
"You have no idea."
She lowered her lashes. "I might have some idea. — Marissa Meyer

I'm going to tell her I've fallen for one of my captors and the wedding is off — Marissa Meyer

Scarlet cocked her head. "Are you sure you don't want me to go? It's going to require some precise manuvering to attach to the docking clamp, and from what Cinder told me about your flying skills ... "
"What do you mean? What did Cinder say about my flying skills?"
Scarlet and Cinder shared a look. "Naturally, she told me that you're a fantastic pilot," said Scarlet, "Absolutely top-notch."
"I think she was practicing her sarcasm," said Iko.
Thorne glared, but Cinder only shrugged. — Marissa Meyer

She surveyed him for a long moment, her brows knitting together. "Murder?"
His grin grew. "Thank you, but no. I started a riot on t he yard." He adjusted his collar, before adding, "We were protesting the soap."
Her confusion grew, and Thorne noticed that she was still in her defensive stance.
"The soap," he said again, wondering if she'd heard him. "It's too drying."
She said nothing.
"I have sensitive skin. — Marissa Meyer

Before she knew what she was doing, she was storming after Kai. She grabbed his elbow and spun him back around to face her. Without hesitating, Cinder wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. — Marissa Meyer

Whether we think of Disney's blonde beauty and her pumpkin carriage or Marissa Meyer's recent recasting of 'Cinderella' as a cyborg in the young adult novel 'Cinder,' we know that there are countless modern retellings of the tale. — Marie Rutkoski

Time it sparked a little glow in Cinder's silicon heart. — Marissa Meyer

Cinder crossed her arms over her chest. "You're an expert on the sound levels of spaceships now, are you?"
"Nah," said Kai. "I've just been waiting to hear that sound all day."
She smiled at him, feeling the hummingbird flutter of her own pulse. He smiled back.
"Aces," said Thorne with a low groan. "They haven't even kissed yet and they're already making me nauseous. — Marissa Meyer

Kai turned to her, still in the doorway. "I know this sounds like very poor timing, but trust me when I say my motives are based on self-preservation." He inhaled a sharp breath. "Would you consider being my personal guest at the ball?"

The floor dissolved beneath Cinder. Her mind blanked. Surely, she hadn't heard correctly. — Marissa Meyer

Cinder made a special trip to Paris for this girl?"
"My logic aptitude suggests this is a possibility."
"What else do we know about this ... Scarlet? — Marissa Meyer

Clearing his throat, Kai murmured, "You have no idea how to dance, do you?"
Cinder fixed her gaze on him, mind still reeling. "I'm a mechanic."
His eyebrows raised mockingly. "Believe me, I noticed. Are those grease stains on the gloves I gave you? — Marissa Meyer

Thorne "But I'm a wanted fugitive, like Cinder, they do realize I'm missing, don't they?"
Cinder "Maybe they're grateful — Marissa Meyer

Iko snorted - a derisive sound that Cinder hadn't even thought escorts were capable of making. Staring — Marissa Meyer

Do you know what you're going to say to Levana?"
Kai crouched beside her, elbows braced against his knees. "I'm going to tell her I've fallen for one of my captors and the wedding is off."
Cinder's arm froze.
He smirked. "At least, that's what I wish I could tell her. — Marissa Meyer

I have no idea what I'm doing. — Marissa Meyer

Scarlet and I are going to start a missing-fingers club. We might let Cinder be an honorary member. — Marissa Meyer

I love you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I want to marry you, and, yes, I want you to be my empress." Cinder gaped at him for a long moment before she whispered, "That's a lot of wanting." "You have no idea." She — Marissa Meyer

Ze'ev failed to mention he was in love with you." Scarlet could feel her cheeks turning as red as her hair.
Thorne muttered, "How could you not tell?" Cinder kicked him. — Marissa Meyer

Irritation hardened in Cinder's gut. She might have pointed out that Pearl and Peony could have been given ready-made rather than custom dresses in order to budget for Cinder's as well. She might have pointed out that they would only wear their dresses one time too. — Marissa Meyer

You said yourself that the people of Luna need a revolutionary." She lifted her chin, holding his gaze. "So I'm going to Luna, and I'm going to start a revolution. — Marissa Meyer

Kai caught himself before he could smile at the memory of Cinder, shy and stammering. — Marissa Meyer

Tilting forward, Iko pressed her flat, cool face to Cinder's brow, no doubt leaving a smudge of lipstick. Cinder laughed. — Marissa Meyer

Did you know that she was cyborg?" asked a woman in an unhidden tone of disgust.
Kai stared at her, appearing confused, then let his gaze dance over the crowd. He shuffled his feet
closer to the podium, a wrinkle forming on the bridge of his nose.
Cinder bit the inside of her cheek and braced herself for adamant disgust. Who would ever invite a
cyborg to the ball?
But instead, Kai said simply, "I don't see that her being cyborg is relevant. Next question?"
Cinder's metal fingers jolted. — Marissa Meyer

Thorne glanced back at the pantry. "Did you see any rice in there? Maybe we could fill Cinder's head with it." Everyone stared at him. "You know, to ... absorb the moisture, or something. Isn't that a thing?" "We're not pouring rice in my head. — Marissa Meyer

Iko ducked her head. "When we saw the feed of you jumping off that ledge, I was so scared I thought my wiring was going to catch fire. And I thought, I will do anything to make sure she's all right." She kicked at a pile of stray screws on the carpet. "I guess some programming never goes away, no matter how evolved a personality chip gets"
Licking some jam from her fingertips, Cinder grinned. "That's not programming, you wing nut. That's friendship."
Iko's eyes brightened. "Maybe you're right. — Marissa Meyer

I hate to agree with Thorne," said Cinder, "I mean, I really hate to agree with him, but — Marissa Meyer

She could be a fire hazard. Maybe we should remove her from the ship before she spontaneously combusts. — Marissa Meyer

It meant he was sure to see Linh Cinder again. Maybe he could learn more about her then. Maybe he'd make her smile. A real smile. Maybe ... Maybe he needed another hobby. He — Marissa Meyer

Whatever he'd once felt for Cinder - or thought he'd felt for her - was over. — Marissa Meyer

Hello?" A girl again. "I know you can hear me. I'm sorry my friend is such a wing nut. You can just ignore him."
"That's usually what we do," said the other feminine voice. — Marissa Meyer

But I need you."
"Need me?"
"Yes. Don't you see? If I'm spending all my time with you, then Queen Levana can't rope me in to any conversations or ... " He shuddered. "Dancing."
Cinder reeled back, her gaze losing focus. Queen Levana. Of course this was about Queen Levana. What had Peony told her, ages ago? Rumors of a marriage alliance?
"Not that I have anything against dancing. I can dance. If you want to dance."
She squinted at him. "What?"
"Or not, if you don't want to. Or if you don't know how. Which is nothing to be ashamed of. — Marissa Meyer

It was a few seconds before Cinder found her voice and she had to grip the door frame to keep standing.
"Thorne?"
His head jerked around. "Cinder?"
"Wh - what are you - how? Where have you been? What's going on? Why are you wearing that stupid bandanna?"
He laughed. Gripping a wooden cane, he stumbled toward her, waving one hand until it landed on her shoulder. Then he was hugging her, suffocating her against his chest. "I missed you too."
"You jerk," she hissed, even as she returned the hug. "We thought you were dead!"
"Oh, please. It'd take a lot more than a satellite plummeting to Earth to kill me. Although, admittedly, Cress may have saved us that time. — Marissa Meyer

Leaning forward, Cinder spoke very clearly. "I have a computer in my brain," she said. "So while I'm not going to tell you that I am the smartest or, by any means, the most experienced person in this room, I would suggest that no one use my youth to believe that I am also ignorant. — Marissa Meyer

Linh Cinder. The renown. The reputation. The approval rating. New Beijing's best mechanic was ... a teenager? Kai was intrigued. He was amused, but more than that, he was impressed. — Marissa Meyer

Thorne and Cress were waiting for them at the bottom of the ramp, and when Cress and Iko spotted each other they shared a squeal. Thorne and Cinder shared a cringe, and then they were all smiling and embracing as if they hadn't seen each other in years - even though they still got together with some regularity. — Marissa Meyer

Thorne, on the aisle, held out his hand as Cinder passed. She snorted and accepted the high five before floating up the stairs. — Marissa Meyer

Come on, Iko."
Iko was still hiding, hugging herself self-consciously. "Is he looking?"
Kai raised an eyebrow.
"He's not looking," said Cinder.
A hesitation. "Are you sure?"
Cinder gestured exasperatedly at Kai. "You're not looking."
He cast his eyes to the ceiling. "Oh, for all the stars." Crossing his arms, he turned his back on them. — Marissa Meyer

She briefly wished she did have some sort of magic so she could shoot a bolt of lightning through his head. — Marissa Meyer

Imagine there was a cure, but finding it would cost you everything. It would completely ruin your life. What would you do? — Marissa Meyer

While Cinder couldn't imagine him abdicating his throne and setting off on a lifetime of space travel and adventure, it was rather adorable watching him try to fit in. — Marissa Meyer

Yes, Kinney?" said Cinder. "The captain and his crew are requesting an audience." "Ha!" Thorne's voice carried from the corridor. "I told you I could get him to call me the captain. — Marissa Meyer

What was Cinder like? She hadn't known her for all that long. She was a brilliant mechanic. She seemed to be honorable and brave and determined to do what needed to be done ... but Scarlet suspected she wasn't always as confident as she tried to appear on the outside. Also, she had a crush on Emperor Kai as big as Winter had on Jacin, although Cinder tried a lot harder to pretend otherwise. But — Marissa Meyer

Why? Why don't you want to go with me?"
She huffed. "It's not that I don't want to go with you, it's that I'm not going at all."
"So you do want to go with me."
Cinder locked her shoulders. "It doesn't matter. Because I can't."
"But I need you. — Marissa Meyer

Thorne scoffed. "Careful is my middle name. Right after Suave and Daring."
"Do you even know what you're saying half the time?" asked Cinder. — Marissa Meyer

Cinder hated her own mind for labeling the queen as grotesque. She had once been a victim, as Cinder had once been a victim. And how many had labeled Cinder's own metal limbs as grotesque, unnatural, disgusting? No. Levana was a monster, but it wasn't because of the face she'd kept hidden all these years. Her monstrosities were buried much deeper than that. — Marissa Meyer

(Wolf) shrugged, without a hint of self-pity. "I don't know what they can or can't grow in the agriculture sectors. Whatever it is, I'm sure it can't compete with Benoit Farms and Gardens." His eyes twinkled, and Scarlet - to her own surprise - started to blush again.
"You two are giving me a stomachache," Thorne griped.
"I'm pretty sure that's the meat," said Cinder, ripping a piece of dried mystery meat with her teeth. — Marissa Meyer

Some conspiracy theorists thought the princess had survived and was still alive somewhere, waiting for the right time to reclaim her crown and end Levana's rule of tyranny, but Cinder knew it was only desperation that fueled these rumors. After all, they'd found traces of the child's flesh in the ashes. — Marissa Meyer

Cinder," he said, "will you marry me?" Absurd, she thought. The emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth was proposing to her. It was uncanny. It was hysterical. But it was Kai, and somehow, that also made it exactly right. "Yes," she whispered, "I will marry you." Those — Marissa Meyer

Have a whirlwind romance, a happily ever after, and have no more worries for the rest of your days. — Marissa Meyer

When I was figuring out what to say for the wedding, I kept thinking about you and me." Cinder jolted. "I knew it!" Kai's eyebrows shot upward. "I mean, there seemed to be a lot of overlap," she added. "Especially that part about defying race and distance and physiological tampering." He — Marissa Meyer

Did you see any rice in there? Maybe we could fill Cinder's head with it."
Everyone stared at him.
"You know, to ... absorb the moisture, or something. Isn't that a thing?"
"We're not putting rice in my head. — Marissa Meyer

Somehow, Thorne's inability to talk about his attraction to Cress spoke so much louder than an outright confession. After all, he had no trouble making suggestive commentary about Cinder. — Marissa Meyer

I think it's meant to be thought provoking, said Cinder. Iko frowned, looking unprovoked. They — Marissa Meyer

All dressed up with nowhere to go," said Iko from the doorway.
Cinder spit out the flashlight with a laugh and glanced down at her oil-stained cargo pants. "Yeah, right. All I need is a tiara."
"I was talking about me. — Marissa Meyer

Do I have permission to take control of you first? Just your bodies, not your minds."
"I've been waiting for you to admit you wanted my body. — Marissa Meyer

Naturally, Cinder got some on her gown - a smear of yellow frosting on the enormous skirt. She was mortified until Iko adjusted the skirt so the folds would hide it. "It was inevitable," Iko said with a wink. "It's part of your charm." Cinder — Marissa Meyer

Wherarewe?" Thorne muttered.
"Oh, you're awake already," said Cinder, returning with salve and gauze. "I was hoping you'd stay knocked out awhile longer. The peace and quiet was a pleasant change. — Marissa Meyer

Cinder stood, staring. All her senses were attuned to Wolf, focused on the energy and emotions that clouded around him. It was like watching a candle extinguish.
It was like watching him die — Marissa Meyer

Are you still an android?" Cinder said around a bite of toast. "Sometimes I forget." "Me too." Iko ducked her head. "When we saw the feed of you jumping off that ledge, I was so scared I thought my wiring was going to catch fire. And I thought, I will do anything to make sure she's all right." She kicked at a pile of stray screws on the carpet. "I guess some programming never goes away, no matter how evolved a personality chip gets." Licking some jam from her fingertips, Cinder grinned. "That's not programming, you wing nut. That's friendship." Iko's eyes brightened. — Marissa Meyer

Now, what I'm worried about is how we're going to be dividing the reward money when this is all over. Because this ship is starting to feel awfully crowded and I'm not sure I'm happy with all of you cutting into my profits."
"What reward money?" asked Scarlet.
"The reward Cinder's going to pay us out of the Lunar treasury once she's queen."
Cinder rolled her eyes. "I should have guessed. — Marissa Meyer

Thorne waved his hand. "They already showed the clips. And now you've achieved the dream of every red-blooded girl under the age of twenty
five"
"Right, my life is a real dream come true."
Thorne wiggled his eyebrow. "Maybe not, but at least dreamy Prince Kai knows your name. — Marissa Meyer

When Rapunzel saw the prince, she fell over him and began to weep, and her tears dropped into his eyes — Marissa Meyer

See? Injustice. Here we are, risking our lives to rescue Kai and this whole planet, and Adri and Pearl get to go to the royal wedding. I'm disgusted. I hope they spill soy sauce on their fancy dresses."

Jacin's concern turned fast to annoyance. "Your ship has some messed-up priorities, you know that?"

"Iko. My name is Iko. If you don't stop calling me the 'ship,' I am going to make sure you never have hot water during your showers again, do you understand me?"

"Yeah, hold that thought while I go disable the speaker system."

"What? You can't mute me. Cinder! — Marissa Meyer

Ha!" Thorne's voice carried from the corridor. "I told you I could get him to call me the captain." Cinder — Marissa Meyer

Her tongue flailed around all the questions stammering to get out, and she finally landed on: "When did you have time to take a mistress?"
His smile faltered. "Don't talk about Cress like that."
"What?"
"Oh - wait! You mean Darla. I won her in a hand of cards."
Cinder gawked.
"I thought she'd make a nice gift for Iko."
"You ... what?"
"For her replacement body?"
"Um."
"Because Darla's an escort-droid? — Marissa Meyer

The man, a huge grin spreading over his face, was slower to stand, first grabbing a cane from against the wall. "Welcome aboard the Rampion, Your Magesticness. Captain Carswell Thorne, at your service." He bowed. — Marissa Meyer

It was Cinder's voice. "Hello, dearest Aunt Levana," she said, her tone light and taunting. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to make sure I had your full attention. First, allow me to congratulate you. It seems you finally have everything you've always wanted. Now, it's my turn." There — Marissa Meyer

Dr. Erland's expression had gone dark. He reached forward and pinched Cinder hard above her elbow. "Ow, hey!" "Hmph. For a moment I thought you must be another one of my hallucinations, as surely your plan couldn't be that stupid. — Marissa Meyer

But I'm a wanted fugitive, like Cinder." Thorne continued. "They do realise I'm missing, don't they?"
"Maybe they're grateful," Cinder muttered. — Marissa Meyer

She raised her eyebrows in a look that she hoped conveyed how much she was all right with him leaving her. After all, he was a prince. The most powerful men and women on Earth had summoned him. She understood.
And yet he was still here, with her.
"I'm fine," she said. "Go away. — Marissa Meyer

That won't satisfy them at all." "I know. That's half the appeal." Cinder — Marissa Meyer

I am not human.
I am a cyborg.
I am mechanic.
That's all I am ... right? — Marissa Meyer

How peculiar. Perhaps it's a programming glitch." She stared down into Iko's single sensor. "A programming glitch." "Sure. You have programming, don't you?" Iko lifted a spindly arm and gestured toward Cinder's steel prosthetic. "I have a glitch, too. Sometimes I forget that I'm not human. I don't think that happens to most androids." Cinder — Marissa Meyer

The doctor brushed past her and gestured at the holographic image that jutted from the net-screen. "Let me tell you what is peculiar about it."
"I'd say 36.28 percent of it is pretty peculiar — Marissa Meyer

WINTER SPOILER KINDA
Cinder stared at his whitened knuckles and struggled for something meaningful to say. Her grand plan of revolution and change had just begun and already she felt like a failure. This seemed worse than failing the people of Luna, though. She'd failed the people she cared about most in the universe.
Finally, she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Thorne."
"Yeah," he said. "Me too. — Marissa Meyer

Kai and Thorne were there, too, each of them standing with their hands in their pockets, rocking back on their heels with supremely smug looks on their faces, like they were daring anyone to suggest it wasn't the most beautiful impromptu wedding ever created. And they had done a marvelous job - much better than Cinder would have expected. — Marissa Meyer

One by one, they went around the room, bowing and curtsying in turn. Suddenly panicked, Cinder looked at Kai. He gave her a one-shouldered shrug, suggesting that, yeah, it's weird, but you get used to it. When — Marissa Meyer

What about ... Cinder?" There was a hesitation, and she could tell they were doubtful about the name. She lifted her chin and explained, "It's an unassuming name, but also ... powerful. Because of where she came from. She survived that fire. She was reborn from the cinders." They — Marissa Meyer

I must say, the queen does have a flair for the dramatic." Torin cast a sly grin toward Kai. "So, it seems, does her niece."

He smothered a twitch of pride. Cinder did have a knack for making an entrance. — Marissa Meyer

My men are hungry and restless, and you've put us in a confined space with a lot of sweet-smelling flesh." Cinder raised an eyebrow. "If they need a snack, tell them to chew on each other for a while. I just want to make sure Jacin has enough time to reach as many sectors as possible." Strom smirked, as if impressed at Cinder's inability to be bullied. — Marissa Meyer

Whenever you come back, you will be welcomed with open arms. And after everything that's happened, you're probably going to have about two hundred thousand guys wanting to take you to the Annual Peace Ball next year. I expect the offers to start rolling in any day now." "I highly doubt that." "Just wait, you'll see." He tilted his head, clumps of hair falling into his eyes. "I figured it couldn't hurt to get my name on the list before anyone else steals you away. If we start now, and plan frequent visits between Earth and Luna, I might even have time to teach you to dance." Cinder — Marissa Meyer

Estimated time of arrival is nine minutes, thirty-four seconds. Which, by my estimation, is enough time for Cinder to be defeated and embarrassed in seven more brawls." Cinder glared up at the ceiling. "Also just enough time to disconnect your audio device. — Marissa Meyer

Do I get a good-bye kiss too?" said Thorne, stepping in front of Cinder. Scowling, Cinder shoved him away. "Wolf's not the only one who can throw a right hook around here." Thorne chuckled and raised a suggestive eyebrow at Iko. The android, still on the floor, shrugged apologetically. "I would love to give you a good-bye kiss, Captain, but that lingering embrace from His Majesty may have fried a few wires, and I'm afraid a kiss from you would melt my central processor." "Oh, trust me," said Thorne, winking at her. "It would. — Marissa Meyer

Cinder twisted up her lips. "Do you think it could have a virus?"
"Maybe her programming was overwhelmed by Prince Kai's uncanny hotness. — Marissa Meyer

He headed back for the door, and a smile so quick and secretive passed between him and Iko that Cinder almost missed it. Iko didn't take her gaze from him until he was gone. — Marissa Meyer

I'm surprised Thorne hasn't asked if he can start leading guided tours down here. I bet you could charge a hefty admission fee." Cinder snorted. "Please don't plant that idea in his head. — Marissa Meyer

Cinder's tirade ceased and she gaped at Scarlet. Between them, Thorne settled his chin on his palm as if watching a great show - though his free hand still held the shotgun aimed at Wolf's head. — Marissa Meyer

Oh, you just look at something and figure out how it works," Kai deadpanned, standing beside her. "Is that all?" Cinder fixed her ponytail and shrugged, suddenly embarrassed. "It's just mechanics." Kai scooped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. "No, it's impressive," he said, using the pad of his thumb to brush something off Cinder's cheek. "Not to mention, weirdly attractive," he said, before capturing her lips. — Marissa Meyer

He couldn't help it, but a part of him - maybe a large part of him - hoped Cinder would just disappear, like a fading comet's tail. Just to spite the queen, to keep from her this one thing she so desperately wanted. It — Marissa Meyer

It is a beautiful irony that the great queen we've ever had is the first to take off her crown. — Marissa Meyer

The other girl, Iko, cupped her chin with both hands. This is so much better than a net drama. — Marissa Meyer

Bending his head, Kai pressed his lips to her knuckles. The plating had no nerve endings, and yet the touch sent a tingle of electricity along her arm.
"Cinder?"
"Mm?"
He lifted his gaze. "Just to be clear, you're not using your mind powers on me right now, are you?"
She blinked. "Of course not."
"Just checking."
Then he slid his arms around her waist and kissed her.
Cinder gasped, pressing her palms against his chest. Kai pulled her closer.
Seconds later, her brain began registering all the new chemicals flooding her system. INCREASED LEVELS OF DOPAMINE AND ENDORPHINS, REDUCED AMOUNTS OF CORTISOL, ERRATIC PULSE, RISING BLOOD PRESSURE ...
Leaning into him, Cinder sent the messages away. Her hands tentatively made their way to his shoulders, before stringing around his neck. — Marissa Meyer

You probably have a client list a mile long. I shouldn't expect royal treatment." His mouth twitched. "Although I guess I do anyway." Cinder's heart tripped as his grin caught her by surprise, every bit as charming and unexpected as it had been at the market. — Marissa Meyer

Cinder found her reflection almost comforting. The shopkeeper called her brave and beautiful. Jacin called her blinding. It was kind of nice to know that they were both wrong. She was still just Cinder. Tucking — Marissa Meyer

Cinder pressed a hand against the bars, but the soldiers pulled her away, forming a protective wall between her and the barricade. As if she was worth protecting. Cinder tried not to be annoyed. — Marissa Meyer