Darkest Death

Chapter Six - Penelope

Before seeing Paris, I'd never understood why it was called the City of Love. Now I did. The entire setting had a touch of romance like no other place. From the small street cafés to the cobbled streets. We had managed to find a hostel close to a metro station, so we could get into town easily. After examining the wound in my head and concluding that I found walking a little difficult, we'd ended up changing the plan. We would spend the evening relaxed, and tomorrow I'd hopefully feel better. Maia was taking care of the big wound, I'd gotten on my forehead (the receptionist at the hostel had been sending me weird glances but hadn't asked any questions), and Noah was on his phone, examining Paris through Google Maps. I made a face as Maia cleaned the wound with a disinfectant from our first-aid back. It stung. Somewhere, someone dead was telling me to stop acting like a baby. Another told me they felt for me. I ignored them both.

"So, what's the plan tomorrow?" I asked trying to ignore the stinging. Noah shrugged. Maia gently dapped my face with a towel, that turned red, before she took out some band-aid.

"I have no idea where the De LaCroixs have their homes. But I assume a banshee in town will draw them out." Noah raised an eyebrow. "This is their town after all."

Maia gently pressed the band-aid onto my forehead before looking at me with a slight frown. She took it upon her to clean out the smaller cuts and wounds on me as well, and I didn't object. We were sat at the bottom bunk of a bunk bed. Noah was in the bottom bunk of the other bunk bed in the room.

"So, we just walk around and wait for them?" I frowned. "I don't really like leaving everything in their hands."

Maia put one last band-aid on me and tapped it lightly. "They'll have seen us on the news today. All we need is to be in very public places. And maybe leave a message for them." She stood up. "But now, you need rest. I don't think you have a concussion, but rest will help no matter what."

I leaned back into the pillows. "Let's just not jump off any more trains in the near future, then I'll be fine."

*****

First, we saw the Eiffel Tower, then the Triumphal Arch, and then we went to the Louvre. No one came for us. At each location, Noah left a message for the De LaCroix to see. Everywhere we went, I felt the dead reaching out to me, screaming for me to help them. I ignored them all, and as the day dragged on, ignoring the dead gave me a headache.

Finally, after hours of walking and seeing the beautiful city (while waiting for someone to come up to us), we decided to get something to eat. We found a small café near the Seine and sat down at a four-man table with a view over the river. The food was delicious, and the entire atmosphere would have been very romantic, had it not been for the thought about the De LaCroix family and the need to find them. Once again I was reminded, how happy I was for Maia being here. Had I been alone with Noah in this city, I don't know if I could have kept my head clear and fought against my heart, that beat even faster every time Noah looked at me. Someone coughed next to me, and I turned to face them. It was a waiter.

"We're good thanks," I said.

The waiter's face remained expressionless as he handed me a black envelope. "Message for a Mademoiselle Smythe," the waiter said with a thick accent. I frowned taking the envelope. It felt too heavy to only contain a letter. Maia straightened up, and Noah leaned forward, his gaze on the envelope.

"De LaCroix?" I looked at Noah. He shook his head.

"No Penny." It was Maia who spoke, as she looked closer at the envelope, though not taking it from me. "This is from the Black Feather."

A shiver went down my spine as I forget how to breathe in a short moment. "You mean the person from the Order thing who knows everything? Why would she write to me?" I turned over the letter and saw my name in beautiful golden handwriting. The letter was addressed to not just this café, but this exact table.