Page 24 of Even Robots Die
I need her, after all.
At least if I want to be back to normal.
I feel hollow. When I woke up and my daughter Cassiopé was there, I recognized her. I knew I loved her, but I didn’tfeelit.
And I want to be mad that I was robbed of all my feelings and sensations—because yes, I can be wounded, but nothing can hurt me, not physically, not emotionally—but I can’t even muster annoyance at the thought.
There is only one thing that triggers an answer from my mind and body. Elhyor.
At least I know it’s all wrong and that I shouldn’t want to hurt him. We’ve been friends for decades after all, but that doesn’t change my physiological answers. If I see or hear him, my mind fills with rage and all I want to do is kill.
It’s wrong.
There’s a second thing now, and I don’t think the birds have planned this one at all.
Enraging Florentine gives me satisfaction.
It’s more than I ever felt in a normal setting ever since I woke up.
“Is that all?” I ask Florentine as I bring my left hand to the other side of her throat.
I have the sudden urge to swipe my thumb over her lower lip to know if it’s as soft as it looks, but restrain myself while I wait for her answer.
“I need more material. Expensive material,” she tells me, like it would deter me if I have to spend money on anything to make that stupid machine work.
“Done.”
She looks at me like she’s trying to find something that would make me refuse.
“I’m not the one who opens you,” she adds, and I can feel her jaw contract after those words. It’s really something she’s against and asmuch as I’d like to toy some more with her, I can see that it’s not a subject I should make fun of.
“I already have a surgeon on call,” I tell her, and I feel all of her body relax in my hands at my words.
Warmth spread through my body.
What the hell?
What just happened?
I have no idea what that warmth means. All I know is that it’s not usual. It shouldn’t be happening in my state.
“I don’t want to work here,” she adds, and her words pull me out of my mind.
“Here, as in the castle?” I ask, and she looks annoyed again.
“No, you dumbass, I don’t want to work in the mad scientist lab,” she says and I feel her cross her arms at her middle more than I see it.
Wondering how I feel it?
Because it pushes her breast up and those generous cushions hit the underside of my forearms.
Shit.
Did I feel that?
I drop my arms at my side immediately.
This isn’t normal.
