Deianira had already prepared herself for what would greet her when re-entering the building, so she didn’t even flinch when Jude rounded the corner.
“What the hell was that?”
I can’t read him.
Deianira replayed Finch’s words in her head, searching her mind for some sort of explanation.
“I don’t know,” she responded dismissively, not bothering to stop.
“What do you mean you ‘don’t know’?” He followed her. He wasn’t letting her get away with that.
“I mean, Finch couldn’t get a reading,” she hissed.
Jude’s eyes narrowed. “So he’s just going to walk away, no punishment?”
“Of course not. You know me better than that. I had Hewn take him to the enforcer program.”
Jude reared back, disbelief written all over his face. “You know that it does not work that way. That unit is strictly for criminals inside the Dome. Not just any stray you pick up and decide to take mercy on because you couldn’t get a reading.”
Deianira stopped walking and whirled on Jude. “You think I don’t know that? You think I wanted to spare him? The arrogant fucker didn’t even look at me until I demanded it. I wanted nothing more than to rip his eyes out of his skull.”
It was a lie but Jude didn’t know that. Deianira wasn’t sure what had struck her about the man but killing him was the last thing on her mind.
Jude’s rage mellowed at Deianira’s convincing tone and he took a calming breath.
“Of course, not. I’m just trying to understand why it makes a difference whether you could read him or not when there’s proof.”
“Because it does,” she stressed, glaring at him. “You know as well as anyone that I am no slave to compassion but I refuse to take another life because of a mistake. My people fear me enough as it is and I don’t need them questioning my ability to uphold the law too. There was no judgment, so there was no execution. That’s it.” She left no room for argument.
Deianira appreciated Jude’s concern, but Salem’s earlier words were true. She was the Evil Queen, the wicked bitch, the girl who overthrew her own parents for the crown. Her people’s concerns about her ability to reign weren’t necessarily misplaced, but she didn’t need to give them any more reasons to doubt her. The Prima Act was clear, no exceptions.
Jude just watched her for a moment.
“I understand. We’ll keep an eye on him.”
Nodding at him and resuming her journey deeper into the palace, Deianira’s thoughts trailed back to the third man in the city center. There was something about his eyes. Not just their appearance, but the look in them. Kind, but pained. She didn’t like the way he made her feel. It was as if she was forgetting something.
She definitely needed to keep an eye on him.
