Twenty minutes later, we were waiting in line to leave theSS Florentiaand land on Sicilian soil. I’d seen the Andes when I’d travelled with my parents in South America. Tall, majestic volcanoes topped with snow. Nevertheless, the sight of Mt Etna, towering over the city and blowing out white puffs of smoke, captured my full attention. The scent of orange blossoms and seawater filled the air. Warm sunlight stroked my cheeks, and a breeze cool enough to be pleasant shuffled my hair.
Rennie smiled and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “You look happy.”
“Thanks to you.”
He inched closer and paused before kissing me. Clearing his throat, he drew back. “Let’s not cause a scandal.”
“Oh, I’d love a scandal. Afterwards, we’ll have to—” I coughed into my closed fist. Dash it, what was I thinking? Trapping Rennie into a marriage wasn’t something I wanted.
“We’ll have to?” he asked, squeezing my hand.
“Nothing.” I straightened. “I don’t want you to have the wrong impression.”
His warm breath feathered over my cheek. “I would marry you, anyway. Scandal or not.”
A warm, fluttery feeling filled my chest. He beamed, the sunlight gilding his skin. It wasn’t a proposal, but at least I knew his intentions. I kept smiling while we walked along the gangplank and reached the city. Oliver would follow Rennie and me at a distance not to alarm the lamia. A useless precaution, but I was glad he wasn’t close enough to hear us.
Buildings made from black lava stones gleamed like obsidian jewels in the bright sunlight, reminding me of the Royal Occult Bureau but with sunshine. There were palm trees and hedgerows, fountains, and flowerbeds like in any other garden I’d visited, but with a touch of wildness. The flowers showed intense colours. The scents were too strong. The trees were too tall.
Oliver brushed past us, hissing. “Don’t play tourist. Focus on the mission.”
Before I could ask him what he meant by that, he marched away.
“Oliver is obsessed with that lamia,” I said, as we promenaded along a path in Bellini Garden, through pine trees and manicured flowerbeds.
“The lamia killed a woman and is threatening to kill again,” Rennie said. “Any agent worth his salt would want to catch it. But I agree, he’s too obsessed with it.”
I scratched the back of my neck, a nagging sensation tugging at it. “I don’t like the fact the lamia could be anywhere without us realising it. It could be watching us right this minute.”
“That’s the point of our stroll.”
A wide gravel path snaked its way through tall trees and trimmed bushes. We took a lateral trail leading to a folly. Ivy covered several alcoves, the green leaves and stems coiling around the marble pillars. A sign written in English, French, and Italian informed us that we were in the lovers’ nooks. My word, it would be impossible for a couple of lovers to be spotted inside one of those nooks. Two people would be perfectly protected and hidden from prying eyes. Wonderful.
I nudged Rennie with an elbow. “Would you like to try?” I was becoming insatiable.
“We should be careful.” His warning lacked anger, but he wasn’t gazing at me. He was searching the bushes.
“Spoilsport. Only five minutes.”
He frowned. “No.”
Annoying man. “You can be very boring when?—”
He took my elbow and dragged me towards a nook.
“Yes!” I giggled when we were both tucked inside a nice alcove.
“Shush.” He pressed a finger against my lips and tilted his head towards the path.
I peeked through the dense vegetation, but aside from statues and more bushes, there wasn’t much to see. “What is it? I don’t see anything.”
“Wait.” His arm coiled around my waist and pulled me closer to his hard body.
Oliver emerged from a corner. The lapels of his jacket were pulled up over his face. Another man came out from behind the hedgerow. Rennie’s fingers tensed around me. The two men threw glances around, loitering.
“I told you not to contact me here,” Oliver hissed.
“Have you found it?” the man asked.
