Cade was already regretting this as he stood in the corner, back facing the wall. He shouldn’t have come. It wasn’t just the crowds. It was the looks. How Cade ended up in the Dome was no secret. After all, most of these people were in the city center that day. The same people that cheered on his death now watched him with pure disdain. They looked at him like he was an outsider, a murderer, a thief. He didn’t blame them, but he didn’t have to like it either.
“Where did you get that?” Lia strutted up to Cade, waving her hand around him.
He looked down at his black tux with silver trimmings and subtle accents, his black dress shirt with a sharp lapel, his bow tie that he spent an hour trying to figure out how to tie.
Cade cringed and ran a hand over the hair pulled back on top of his head.
“From Jude. Why? Is it not…”
“You look amazing.” She beamed.
“Oh. Thank you,” he said, releasing a sigh of relief. Cade then looked Lia up and down, blinked, then did it again. She was in a knee-length, silk, purple slip dress that complimented her almond skin perfectly. It was strange seeing her in anything other than her mesh gear and muddy boots. “Since when did you wear dresses?”
She looked down at herself and smirked. “Since I found one in the armoire. Pretty, right?” She giggled, giving him a twirl.
“Very,” he laughed. “You look good.”
Something over Cade’s shoulder caught her eye and she let out an awestruck laugh.
“Not as good as your girl.”
Cade’s cheeks flushed. “My girl? Who’s my g…”
“Oh, shut up and turn around.” she cackled, already grabbing a hold of his shoulders and rotating him.
Cade turned as the room quieted. He looked from the double doors to the stained glass windows, to the high ceilings. Where is she? He knew she was close. He could practically feel her. If only he cou-
There. The stairs.
The click of her heels were all that could be heard in the silent ballroom as she descended the center staircase.
Cade’s breath left him. Time didn’t just slow. It stopped.
The sleeves of her midnight dress started just off her shoulders while the hem of the bodice danced across her collarbone. The slits, lined with silver accents, went all the way up to her hips but were held together by crisscrossed strings on each thigh, leaving a long trail of material between her legs. The band of the silver crown that sat on her forehead, dipping into a small ‘v’ above her brows, was concealed by her hair. Her shiny, pin-straight hair that swished with every step, free of its usual restrictions, ran down her shoulders and past the small of her back.
As Cade met her eyes, he realized that even if the night ended right now, it was worth attending the ball just to see her like this.
Deianira
Deianira tried to calm her nerves as she waited at the top of the staircase. What was wrong with her? She did this every year.
“It’s time,” Salem said. She took her place behind Deianira, next to Jude.
Deianira took several deep breaths as they walked to the head of the staircase, the room going silent. As she slowly began to descend, she found herself searching the crowd for a certain someone. She tried to stop herself considering the fact that he didn’t promise he’d be in attendance but she couldn’t stop her eyes from scanning the room, full of hope.
Part of the way down the stairs, Deianira had been close to giving up her search when she caught a glimpse of those beautiful green eyes in the corner of the room. And they were looking right at her. Her heart swelled.
That same warm feeling in her stomach came back and increased tenfold. She did her best to hold back her smile at his parted lips and wide eyes. Deianira didn’t take her eyes off him as she sauntered down the remaining steps and through the parted crowd in the middle of the room. Not even as she stepped up onto the platform where her throne was sitting. She only looked away to turn and take her seat where she was finally able to take a full breath as the violinists resumed.
That breath was quickly lodged in her throat when Deianira looked up to find Cade missing from where she had seen him last. Scanning the surrounding area, she still couldn’t find him. Did he leave? Had she been seeing things? Maybe she just wanted to see him so much that…
“Your Majesty.” That voice. Standing at the foot of the platform, Cade stood with a face of wonderment, hand held out in Deianira’s direction. There is no way he’s going to ask me t…
“Will you dance with me?”
Cade didn’t even seem to notice the murmurs and gasps around him. He was just looking at Deianira as if the rest of the world had disappeared, an amused smile gracing his lips.
Her heart raced. She’d never been asked to dance before. Who would ask that of the Queen?
Evidently, Cade would. With him though, she wasn’t the Queen. She was Deianira. That was all she thought about as she stood from her throne and took his hand. She distinctly heard Salem call from behind her but she was too focused on Cade as he walked her to the middle of the ballroom.
As Cade slowed, he turned with her hand still clutched in his and placed the other around her waist. He splayed out his fingers across her back pulling a shiver from Deianira. Looking into his eyes, they began moving.
“I thought you wouldn’t show,” she whispered as she absently toyed with the hair dangling at the back of his head.
“Why?” he asked, brows drawn.
Taking a deep breath, she said, “Things don’t usually turn out the way I want them to.”
It was clear that Cade understood the meaning behind her words because a warm smile spread across his face.
“Well, I’m glad I did. You look gorgeous.”
She could feel herself softening in his arms. So she tried to rein it in. “Shut up!” she hissed.
Cade let out a loud snort. “I can take it back if you want,” he said cheekily.
She rolled her eyes. “Thank you.”
Deianira looked him up and down wondering whether she should compliment him back when she noticed something. She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head at Cade.
“We’re matching,” she said warily. “Did you see my dress?”
Cade looked down, apparently, only just noticing the same thing. “No, I…” he stopped before he let out a small laugh. “Your uncle.”
Huh? “Jude gave you that?” she asked, surprised. “I always thought he didn’t like you.”
All the humor drained from Cade’s face. “Did he tell you that?” he rushed out, his grip on her hand tightening.
Deianira tried her best but she couldn’t help the giggle that burst from her throat. She hadn’t been lying, she didn’t think that Jude liked him. But seeing Cade so flustered at the idea that her uncle might not be a fan was hilarious. As she sobered, she realized that most of the room was staring at her. But the only pair of eyes that looked at her with awe were Cade’s.
“You should laugh more,” he told her with all seriousness. Then he delivered a soft pinch to the side of her waist.
“Cade!” she half-snorted.
“But not at me,” he said with amused eyes.
She scoffed as she drew back her foot to kick him in his ankle. There was no doubt they were still sore from yesterday.
“Don’t you dare…” he smiled, stepping back but keeping his hold on her.
Deianira narrowed her eyes in challenge. “You’re only making me want to do it more.”
Cade abruptly tugged her body tight against his, pulling a squeak from Deianira.
His lips brushed the shell of her ear. “Behave.”
At a time, she might have been angered by his instruction, but her whole body shuddered at his deep rumble.
“Fine line, Cade,” she said in a breathy whisper. “I’ve killed men for less.”
He drew his head back to stare deep into her eyes. “Yeah?” he asked, breath fanning over her lips. “Yet I’m still here.” He was right. He was still here. After every word he’d said or infraction of his, he was still here.
Deianira thought about his words for a while but no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t find it in herself to regret anything that led them here. I am no slave to compassion. Maybe, she was.
Lia
Spotting the Queen at the top of the stairs and knowing that everyone’s attention would be on her, Lia slipped through the side entrance of the ballroom and jogged down the hall, silently cheering when she waited and realized that no one had followed. As quickly as she could, she took the service stairwell back upstairs to Deianira’s study.
Standing outside, she did another quick survey of her surroundings. She was still alone.
Lia cursed as she tried the handle. Locked. She momentarily thought about breaking in. There was no way she slipped away just to go back. Then, she remembered that the bedrooms were connected to the studies.
Walking further down the hall, Lia sent up a quick prayer before trying the door. It opened. Thank the Gods. Finding the internal study door locked as well, Lia searched for a key. No, not a key. It had a digital pad, no keyhole.
Lia sat down on the bed, wanting to cry. She wouldn’t be getting any answers tonight. “Ugh!” she groaned.
As if responding to her outburst, a soft ping sounded from across the room. Standing up abruptly, Lia walked in the direction of the sound when she caught sight of a small light coming from the Queen’s vanity. Pulling the first drawer open, Lia found the source of the light. The Queen’s bracelet. The one that opened all of the doors in the entire palace. Lia couldn’t believe her luck. Choosing not to waste any more time, she grabbed the bracelet and ran back to unlock the study.
Stepping inside, she saw that she had her work cut out for her. Bookshelves lined the high walls around all four lengths of the room. She first went to the section titled ‘Birth Certificates’.
Lia searched through the year she was born but when she found nothing, she looked a few years out on either end, just in case she had the dates mixed up. But still, she found nothing.
Getting another idea, she moved on to hospital records. Her birth might not have been registered but if she was born in a hospital or clinic, it would have been recorded. She was skimming through the names on the list of recorded births when she caught something. Flicking back to check again, she thought she was seeing things. ‘SAMBOR, GRACE.’ She was looking for births that were recorded and not registered but she didn’t expect to see her last name on a file, clear as day.
When she was found behind the school as a baby, the name ‘Eulalia Sambor’ was stitched into the bottom of her blanket so she knew that this meant something. Taking the file into the bedroom, Lia separated all the attachments and extra pieces of paper on the desk when she came across a picture.
If there was any doubt in her mind that this woman might have been her mother, it was gone now. She felt the sting of tears behind her eyes as she looked at the picture. The most beautiful brown eyes stared back at her. From her dark bronze skin to her curly, black, voluminous hair, Lia saw herself. It was her. Putting the image down, she wiped her eyes as she skimmed the patient information for anything recent. Delusions. Paranoia. Involuntary hold. The Haven.
That last one was updated only months ago. That was it. Lia would go to the Haven. She would meet her mother.
