“How come we never got any of this in the program?” Cade asked, biting into his pastry. After a painful walk back to the palace, on which Cade incessantly complained about his bruised ankles, Deianira surprised herself by suggesting that they get something to eat. That was the second time today that she’d asked him to hang out with her. She should’ve been telling herself to rein it in but she was enjoying herself too much.
They sat side by side on the counter, the stove on to warm the room up.
“Because it’s a disciplinary program. For criminals. It’s not supposed to be nice,” Deianira drawled.
“Fair poi…” He cut himself off and hopped off the counter.
Deianira turned to see what had caught his attention. Reaching above the cupboard, Cade picked something up and turned to Deianira with a questioning smile on his face.
“No,” she said instantly.
Cade’s smile dropped as he held up the bottle of whiskey.
“It’ll warm you up,” he said, gesturing to her red hands.
“No.”
“You didn’t even think about it.”
“I don’t need to. It’s late.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Tomorrow’s Prima Day. It’s called being responsible.”
“Wow,” Cade cocked his head at her. “I always thought you were hard-headed but I didn’t know you had a stick up your ass too.”
Frowning at him, she said, “I know what you’re doing.”
He shrugged, trying to hide his smile. “I’m not doing anything. That’s just your subconscious agreeing with me.”
“Uh-huh. Sure it is.”
“I mean, this is your palace, your alcohol and you’re gonna let the time of day dicta…”
Deianira rolled her eyes. “Oh my Gods!” she grumbled as she snatched the bottle from his hands, removed the cap, and poured back a shot. Cade roared with laughter, clapping as she winced from the burn. “Will you shut up now?” He took the bottle back from her and took a swig.
“I don’t remember agreeing to those terms,” he smirked, coughing into his fist.
Then the night really started. Deianira didn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed being around someone so much. Starting her reign at the age of thirteen didn’t leave much time for fun. Being young, female, and in power, everyone expected her to lead armies, but they also expected her to fail or fall short. With the amount of work she had to put in to prove herself, fun wasn’t a factor. So she was cruel when she had to be, heartless when the occasion called for it. But after years of earning the respect of her people, she realized that that was all they saw. No one looked further to see what was behind the mask. Except for Cade. He’d seen her from the very beginning. She’d been about to kill him that day in the city square and he still saw her.
“What even happens at a ball anyway?” Cade slurred, way past tipsy.
She cocked her head at him, then remembered.
“Oh, outsider. You can eat, drink, dance, it’s basically just a fancy party for Prima Day.”
“Sounds nice.” He nodded, looking at the ground as he leaned back on the counter.
She narrowed her eyes. “What, too pretentious for you?”
“No, it’s not that. Things are just very different here,” he said quietly, blinking slowly.
“You don’t have parties on the outside?” Deianira mumbled, stumbling over her words.
“We do, actually. I-I meant that you guys have a lot that we don’t.” Cade huffed. “You know before I got arrested, I was a carpenter. I didn’t even really like it but I didn’t have options. Not many of us did. And you were considered lucky if you could get a contract with a trading official here, only to get paid less and less each season. But at least you could eat.” He paused for a moment, thoughtful. “When I turned sixteen, I became an apprentice and learned woodcraft. Even though it wasn’t the best, I’m glad I did because if I didn’t, I would’ve been on the streets by now.”
“Why?” she asked curiously.
Cade blew out a breath and began fiddling with his hands.
“My father. Now, he was a man with options, but he chose to make my life a living hell.”
He didn’t elaborate, but Deianira had an idea. It was the last thing she wanted to think about. Knowing that she had a part to play in…She stopped those thoughts as her mood soured. Crossing her legs onto the counter, she averted her eyes.
“I can’t do anything about that. They’re not my people, Cade.”
Cade rolled his head to the side to look at her. “They were though. At one point. We all live in Terra.”
Those words struck her harder than expected. It was true. There wasn’t always a Dome. Those people were cast out to suffer and even if it wasn’t by her own hand, she had to take some responsibility. Her heart felt too heavy.
Lazily blinking up through her lashes, she asked Cade a question that she’d never cared to ask anyone before.
“Do you think I’m a bad person?”
He looked at her for a while before trying his best to articulate his words.
“No, I don’t. I think that it’s real easy to hate you for making the hard choices but what some people fail to realize is that you’re making them so that they don’t have to. So, no. I don’t think you’re a bad person. Hard choice or easy, I know you’ll do what’s best for your people. All of them.” he added, intentionally.
Deianira sat still, shocked. He got it. He understood. That familiar feeling that she got around him settled over her. The one that felt too warm, too close. As much as she hated to ruin what they had started tonight, she needed space.
“Really? Or is that what you tell yourself to assuage your guilt for sitting here, drinking with the Evil Queen while your people starve.” she spat bitterly. “Don’t kiss my ass to cover up your self-serving bullshit,” she slurred.
Cade cocked his head at her, narrowing his eyes. “Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?” she retorted defensively.
His eyes lowered to the floor before answering. “Trying to make me go away. You choked me out on my first day in the program and I’m still here with you. I think it’s safe to say that I‘m not leaving any time soon,” he said, giving her a fake tight-lipped smile.
Deianira remembered that day clearly. She had been so angry, so
confused, and she took it out on him. She tried to tamp down her breathing.
“I think that speaks more to your lack of intelligence than your resilience.”
Cade shrugged, facing forward to look at the wall.
“Entirely possible. But you should know that it’ll take a little more than a few drunk words to make me hate you.”
Deianira stared at his profile for a while before trying to change the subject.
“So, will you be joining us tomorrow?”
Cade thought about it for a moment. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Well, it’s up to you.” Deianira shrugged, hiding how much that disappointed her, hating how much that disappointed her. “Uh, I should probably go. It’s getting late.” There was an uncomfortable tension in the room now.
Cade didn’t look at her as he nodded. “Yeah, me too.”
Suddenly feeling awkward, Deianira slid off the counter and headed to the door, but not before turning back and saying, “Goodnight.”
“Night,” she heard echoed back as she closed the door.
