Page 2 of Even Robots Die (Even Ever After #3)
Florentine
T his is the third time I’ve come to Notre Dame, and although I know that this building is a place of worship first, it’s almost impossible for me to forget the state the cathedral was in the first time I visited.
It was during the dragon’s wedding and there was food and alcohol nearly everywhere. But it didn’t really look like a party.
People don’t usually drown their sorrows at a party, do they?
I guess I would try to forget too if my brain could implode.
Well, a brain—not mine—did actually implode if we want to be technical. But then I found a way to stop this brain from imploding once again, and I'm sure Cassiopé and Léandre celebrated with a lot of banging.
I knock on the door, but no one comes.
I knock again, but don’t wait the second time. I just stroll inside in search of someone.
There are people around, obviously—people live inside the church after all—but no one that I know so far, so I head for Elhyor’s office.
The door is wide open, so I don’t bother knocking before entering.
The office looks dark, with cabinets on the sides and a huge desk made of dark wood.
Sitting on the corner of it is Angélique, the crow shifter who has been deemed the devil's daughter ever since humanity discovered her black wings.
Next to her, sitting on the chair behind the desk, is Elhyor, her husband.
“Where is Brice?” I ask without bothering with politeness.
It’s been three days of searching everywhere in Paris for that damn vampire. I don’t have time to spare.
“Well, hello to you too,” Angélique answers in a sarcastic tone.
I do like that girl most of the time, but right now? Not so much.
No, I’ve waited way too long already, and it’s been hard to juggle taking care of the girls and looking for dad all at the same time.
“Right, hello. I don’t care what’s up, I just need to know where Brice is,” I say in an even tone before glaring at the two people in the room.
“Not here, as you can see,” Elhyor says dryly. “He’s not really welcome in Notre Dame these days. He’s lucky I heal fast.”
So, the rumors were true.
Brice did try to attack Elhyor.
“Why is he even alive if he attacked you?” I ask without missing a beat.
“Because the bastard is a bat, and he managed to disappear on us,” Angélique answers.
“So you have no idea where he is?” I ask, disbelief in my voice.
“Oh no, that’s not what she meant,” Elhyor answers for his wife. “We do know where he is. He just can’t come back here anymore.”
“So where is he?” I ask, impatient.
It almost sounds like they’re toying with me. I just want to be done with this conversation already and be back home with the girls.
“Cassiopé is in contact with him, so we know he moved out of Paris,” Angélique says.
It’s still not the answer I need and I’m boiling inside because I just want to throw in their faces that I don’t have all day. But I’m trying to look calm on the outside—I’m used to it, thanks to helping raise four sisters—but inside, I’m so far from it.
“Where?” I ask again.
I feel like a broken record. A very impatient and angry broken record.
“Blois,” someone says from behind me, and I turn in the direction of the voice.
It’s Cassiopé. Brice’s daughter.
“My dad is in Blois. But he isn’t in the right mind. I don’t know why you’re looking for him, but you should stop immediately.”