Page 75 of Even Robots Die (Even Ever After #3)

Florentine

E verything after that happens in a blur. We quickly take a shower, get dressed, and eat a small breakfast. Charles, Daniel, and a few of the others join us. I might be the only one not used to getting ready for something so dreadful because they eat without any problem.

I’m the only one who struggles.

My stomach is in knots and I’m not hungry. I’m scared shitless that I’m not going to pull this off or that I’m going to mess something up.

I know I can’t foresee everything and that I planned as much as I could, but my mind can’t stop spinning because there are still so many possibilities for everything to take a turn for the worse.

Brice’s arm drops to the back of my shoulders, right in front of the metallic wings at my back, and his hand starts toying with my curls.

They’re secured in a ponytail and he stretches a strand between his fingers so it reaches the back of my neck. I can’t have my hair getting stuck in the wings or in the way of the dart launcher built into the straps on my shoulders.

“I can hear you overthinking,” he murmurs in my ear.

I glare at him before looking in front of me.

He flew me here.

Right in front of the golden gates of Versailles’ palace.

I expected Raphael to be at the entrance greeting us, but I don’t recognize any of the men that are here on the other side of the gates.

It’s tricky, though.

The device I created makes my wings invisible as long as I’m in the sunlight.

It refracts the light so people only see what’s under the heavy harness holding my wings against my back.

It works under artificial light, but isn’t as effective.

I still haven’t found a way to make it work with poor to no lighting.

So, yes, it’s invisible—kinda—but it doesn’t remove the space the wings take up physically.

That’s why it’s tricky. I can’t have the birds discover what I’m wearing until it’s too late for them.

“Where is my father?” I ask without aiming my question at anyone.

There is no clear leader to the bunch of bird-shifters facing us right now, and it’s making it harder to interact and put the plan into motion.

I turn to face Brice, as if I needed the comfort—okay, I do, but that’s not the main reason why I turn in his embrace—and mouth to Milton “load the heat signature map.”

As I finish talking, a map layers at the right corner of my vision. Each person looks like a tiny red point signaling their body temperature.

“Add the holos from our side,” I mouth again and this time, Brice tightens his hold around my shoulders.

Names appear on the map created by Milton. Some of them are in movement and others are already in place. Some are above ground and others are in the sewer system or in the sky.

Everything is almost ready.

I turn to the group of birds in front of us. None of them have tried to answer my question.

I realize why when I see a group of points coming our way from inside the castle. They’re still too far away for me to see Dad, but right in the middle of the group of red dots, there’s his holo.

What the hell?

Did he have his holo all this time?

I want to shake my head in denial, but I have to remind myself they can’t know I still have technology on me.

They should know if they know of me, but I’m not going to make it obvious and help them figure out I’m not giving myself away without a purpose.

I patiently wait for the group to finally arrive beyond the gates.

Dad looks like he’s seen better days. His hair is disheveled and the joyful and carefree expression he had on his face three days ago when he was having fun with the fox lady is nowhere to be seen.

His clothes are so wrinkled that I have no doubt he’s been living and sleeping in them for the past three days.

He’s also sporting a bandage on his left hand.

I guess they did indeed cut off one of his fingers.

I feel bad for a second because for a moment this morning I thought that maybe it was all a trick and that he didn’t lose a finger to get me to trade myself faster. It was all a trick—I have no doubt about that—but not one of Dad’s.

Next to Dad, I recognize Raphael.

He did come out to get me. Interesting.

“Give me the girl,” he says to Brice like I’m some property and can’t make my own decisions.

“Send my dad first,” I bite back. “And I won’t fight back.”

I can’t look like I’m surrendering completely. I’m counting on them believing that they won, or at least that they took something important from the humans who are fighting against them.

I hate that I have to remove Brice’s arm from around my shoulders, but I shrug it off all the same and take a step closer to the gates with my arms open to show that I’m not carrying any weapons.

That they can see.

I know that Brice hates it even more than I do, but that’s the part I fought him for. I need to be inside, even just for a few minutes .

Two of the birds at the gates aim their guns at Brice as he takes a step back and another one opens the gate.

The group that surrounds Dad isn’t moving though.

I need them to let him go so I can focus on what’s to come and don’t have to worry about him.

I cross my arms under my breasts.

“I’m not coming if you don’t release him,” I tell them.

This is supposed to make things easier—me stepping forward and Brice backward—but the birds are taking too long and I get antsy again.

It’s okay. I guess they expect me to be, so at least I don’t have to hide it. They don’t have to know that I’m not antsy because I’m becoming a prisoner but because they’re not following the plan I had in my mind.

“We’re surrounded for fuck’s sake. What do you need to see that you’re at an advantage?” I lash out.

Did I ever say I wasn’t a patient person?

I know I should stay in character—the demure first daughter who sacrifices herself to save her father—but my outburst seems to be what finally gets a reaction out of Raphael who hasn’t stopped scrutinizing us.

“I changed my mind,” he says, and I hold my breath at those four little words.

This is it. This is the moment everything goes to shit.

“I want him to come too,” Raphael says, motioning in Brice’s direction, and I don’t think I can hide what I’m currently thinking from my face at this instant.

Fear, dread and my heart breaking a little.