27. Typhon

27

TYPHON

T he day after we returned to Brighton, I traveled to Shere to see Oleander. Verity had given me permission to update no one but her, Nemesis, and Z. He and I had exchanged messages, but when I requested a call, he responded that it would be best if we talked in person. I was hoping to make that happen later today.

As for Nemesis, I tried to avoid her, so I'd asked O to meet with me on our own, not at the coalition command center. Until I spoke to Z directly, I couldn't see her. If I discovered she'd been aware he was missing when she rang me on my way to Portugal, her days would be numbered. Not only with the coalition and SIS, but she'd be the next person on my hit list.

"You seem different," O said after inviting me into the home she and Poseidon shared.

When I laughed out loud, she folded her arms.

"What?"

I rested my elbow on the kitchen table where she'd invited me to sit with her and leaned closer. "It seems both of us have undergone a personality transformation. From what I understand, love will do that."

She smiled. "I suppose there couldn't be two less likely people for it to happen to."

"For what to happen to?" Poseidon asked, walking over to O and resting his hands on her shoulders.

"We're in love," I responded. "Not with each other," I quickly added.

He chuckled. "Yes, Typhon, I know it's not with each other. If that were the case, I'd have to kill you."

"We were agreeing we've been transformed," O said, smiling up at him in a way I'd never seen before. "By the way, Typhon is here to give me an update on Verity."

On my way here, I'd sent a message, letting O know about Verity's request as to who she'd permit me to inform of her condition. Thankfully, Poseidon excused himself and left the room. Once he was gone, I recounted the events of the last two weeks.

I left an hour later, and when I got to Brighton, El wasn't in her studio or at the house, and when I rang her, she didn't pick up. Dread flooded my body.

I immediately opened the tracker app on my phone. She was aware of it and also that I'd only use it when it was absolutely necessary. When her location pinged, I saw she was on the beach, about a kilometer away.

What would she be doing out there in this weather, and why hadn't she answered her mobile? I raced outside and, once on the beach, ran in her direction. I saw her, and when I approached, I noticed she had her head down and appeared to be sobbing.

"El?"

She looked up and reached for me. As I took her hand, I settled on the sand and pulled her into my arms.

"It's Mike." Her voice cracked, and she clung to me.

"What happened?"

"His daughter came to the studio. He died, Levi."

"God, El. I'm so sorry. When?"

"Last night." Eliza sobbed harder, and I held her. Eventually, she took several deep breaths and wiped her face on my shirt.

"I'm so very sorry, my love."

"She said he was sick for a while, which was why he was anxious to sell his studio and the house."

"I'm glad we were able to give him that peace of mind."

Eliza looked up at me. "I hadn't thought about it that way." She wrapped her arms around my waist. "I'd like to return to London for the services. Would you mind?"

"Not at all. We'll go together."

"Thank you, Levi."

We stayed on the beach for several more minutes, in the same way we had the first day we came to Brighton. El sat between my legs, her back to my front, and I had my arms around her.

"I walked, not wanting anyone to see me crying, until I couldn't go on anymore. That's why you found me here," she explained. I didn't ask why her mobile was off. I'd found her, and that was all that mattered.

Mike's service, held the following morning, was standing-room only. When I noticed older people in the back unable to get a seat, I whispered to El that I'd give my seat up, and she said she wanted to as well.

On our way to the rear of the cathedral, my eyes met those of my father, who was seated beside my mother. I shouldn't have been surprised by their presence, but I could tell by the look on their faces that they were confused as to why I was there. I stopped, said a quick hello, and suggested we meet after the service concluded.

"My parents are here," I whispered, knowing Eliza wouldn't ask who I'd been talking to. "I said we'd connect later. I'm anxious for you to meet them."

We'd been seeing each other for close to a year, and while I'd thought about introducing El to my family, I hadn't made the time. Something I now regretted.

When the priests entered from behind the altar area, conversation stopped in the sanctuary and Eliza took my hand. We listened to people speak about Michael Beaumont, who I'd always think of as Mike. He'd touched the lives of so many, and I thanked the heavens that El and I had been among them. Especially for her sake.

Thankfully, the weather was mild and unseasonably warm while we waited on the front steps at the conclusion of the service. Eventually, my parents made their way over to where we stood.

"Leviticus, what a surprise to see you here," said my mother, embracing me before she stepped away so my father could.

"There's someone I'd like you to meet. Mum and Dad, this is Eliza Fox. El, please meet my parents, Marcello and Elsie Marras."

When she stepped forward, rather than shake her hand, my mother pulled El into an embrace similar to the one she'd given me. At the same time, my father squeezed my shoulder.

"She's beautiful," he whispered.

Both my parents had always been affectionate, but my dad hesitated before embracing El. When she approached him with outstretched arms, he hugged her.

"We met Mr. Beaumont in Brighton," I explained after exchanging further pleasantries. "Eliza is a sculptor."

"I purchased his studio," she added.

My mum's eyes opened wide. "How wonderful."

"I should tell you that we purchased his house as well."

My parents looked between El and me almost as if they were watching a tennis match.

"Levi purchased it," Eliza said softly.

I put my arm around her. "For the two of us."

"How wonderful," my mother repeated.

"So, um…" El looked up at me. "Lunch?"

"Seems fitting we'd dine at Claridge's," I said once we'd split up, secured a car service, and agreed to meet in an hour. I took El's hand in mine. "My parents are as captivated by you as I have been since the moment I first saw you."

"They're so lovely."

"Not unlike you, my love." I brought her hand to my lips.

"Thank you for today. For being with me," she said.

I glanced out the window and realized we were about to pass the southeast corner of Hyde Park. "Driver, would you mind pulling over? We'll stop here."

Eliza's head cocked, but she exited the vehicle when I held my hand out to assist her.

"I thought a stroll might be nice, given how warm it is today," I explained.

She smiled. "What a good idea."

We took the path a short distance northwest. The closer we got to where I intended to stop, the more animated El became.

"I didn't know if you knew." She beamed as we made our way to what I considered one of the most beautiful sculptures in all of England.

As we got closer to Michael Beaumont's masterpiece, neither of us spoke. We walked around the fountain twice, then stopped and sat near one of the sculptures of a child who appeared to be hovering over the water. There were three other children depicted, and in the center were two adults holding each other and dancing.

"Mike and his wife had four children," Eliza said with tears in her eyes.

I cupped her cheek. "I love you, Eliza Fox," I said, repeating the exact words I spoke the first time I'd said them to her.

She leaned into my hand. "I love you, Leviticus Marras."

I slid from the ledge, got down on one knee, and pulled the box I'd been carrying with me for the last several days from my pocket. "Marry me?" I asked, holding it out to her.

"Levi!" She gasped. "Yes. Absolutely, yes. I'll marry you."

I slipped the three-emerald-cut-diamond ring on her finger. We both looked down at it at the same time, then turned to look at the couple dancing in the fountain's water.

"Mike insisted we were already married so many times. It seems so perfect that this is where you chose to propose. Today of all days. It's almost as if he's standing somewhere close by, watching us."

I was not a man who cried often, but Eliza's words moved me to tears. I hadn't planned to propose until Christmas and certainly not here, in Hyde Park. But it felt so right, so perfect, that I knew I had to act now.

"It's entirely up to you whether we tell my parents or wait."

El was gazing down at her ring, but looked up at me and smiled. "Just try to stop me. I'm never taking this ring off, Levi, and what's more, I plan to tell every person I see today. Prepare for great embarrassment."