The Phoenix

He rolled his eyes. ‘Sure, Ella. If you want it to be. I’m Derek Humperdinck, if that makes you happy. But weren’t we talking about Mark Redmayne?’

The laughter died.

‘I don’t trust him,’ said Ella.

‘OK.’

‘And I know you don’t either.’

‘Doesn’t matter,’ said Gabriel, not denying it. ‘He’s our boss.’

‘You trust me, though?’ asked Ella.

‘I worry about you,’ Gabriel answered truthfully, after a pause.

Ella was touched. Apart from her grandmother Mimi, and Bob back in her old life in San Francisco, no one had ever worried about her.

‘Tell me what you know about Athena.’

‘Ella …’

‘Tell me everything. Including the things Redmayne told you not to.’

He hesitated, but she could see his resolve was weakening.

‘Trust me. Not him. Trust me, so I can trust you. And then – maybe – I’ll do what you tell me.’

‘I’ll believe that when I see it,’ he grinned. ‘But OK. This is what we know today: Athena’s no longer in Greece. She left the country the day after you saw her on Sikinos—’

‘So it was her on Sikinos! You admit it!’ Ella jumped in.

‘Of course,’ said Gabriel. ‘Please stop interrupting.’

‘Sorry.’

‘We don’t know where she is. The couple of leads we had on possible safehouses all came to nothing. But we’re confident she’ll resurface soon.’

‘Why? It took her twelve years last time.’

‘That was different. For whatever reason, back then she didn’t want control of her husband’s empire. Now, she does. What we’re witnessing now is the beginning of a civil war between Athena and Makis. It’s being fought through proxy armies – her people versus his people – and it’s going to get bloody.

‘Nikkos was an early casualty.

It looks as if Athena’s – not Makis’s – loyalists were behind his death.’

‘Which means …’

‘That she probably also knows who you are. Or at least suspects it. The only plausible motive for Nikkos’s murder lies in his connection to you.’

So it’s my fault either way, thought Ella. And my job to avenge his death.

‘Did she get a good look at you that day at the convent?’

Ella’s mind flew back to ‘Sister Elena’s’ room. Her grotesque, melted face. Her eyes, neither angry nor frightened, but calm, curious, searching, looking over Ella with a sort of fascinated surprise as Ella stood, frozen, a deer in the headlights.

She nodded. ‘Unfortunately, yes.’

‘And what about the man? The one who knocked you over and attacked Sister Elena with a knife.’