Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts Page A

feel—sense?—Sasha’s heart on that day in Corfu, and know where to look. And see her. The legs weren’t fast enough, so I needed to change them.”
    â€œBut even with the legs, you can feel and see?” Riley grabbed a Coke, tossed Sasha juice.
    â€œIn the water. Are you angry?” she asked Sawyer.
    â€œNo. No, I’m not mad. You just gave me a jolt. Remember, we’re buddies down there.”
    She sat beside him, tipped her head to his shoulder. “I’ll be a better buddy.”
    â€œGood enough. How’d you do, Sasha?”
    â€œI was fine—I can’t say I much like those tight openings, but I did fine. But I didn’t feel anything, unlike Annika.”
    â€œLet’s cross it off.” Slicking her cap of hair back, Riley guzzled water. “And hit the next. We should be able to do three today. All of them in this general area. We’ve got others to try on the east coast, and down to the south. But we can finish up this section today.”

    S awyer figured Annika could have dived all day and half the night, but the rest of them put in a solid five hours under the water, on the boat, with a short break for a quick lunch.
    They found nothing but the appeal of sea life, rock formations, and in one cave a crude carving on rock with the names Greta and Franz inside a heart with the date 15/8/05.
    He liked to think Greta and Franz stayed together, maybe living in a little farmhouse along the Rhine.
    He hadn’t expected to stumble across the star the first day out—didn’t think any of the team expected that kind of luck. A quest required time, effort, sweat, and risk.
    And when gods were involved, blood.
    But steps had to be taken, and they’d taken them for the day. Bestof all, they hadn’t encountered any of Nerezza’s minions. Any day no one had to shed that blood was, in his book, a good day.
    Once they’d docked the boat, turned in the tanks, he shouldered his pack. The hike home loomed, but there’d be beer at the end of it.
    â€œNow we can go shopping.”
    As one, the other five stared at her.
    â€œThere are many shops, and pretty things, and all the people. And Sawyer said we could have the outstanding.”
    â€œA beer sounds outstanding,” Doyle commented.
    â€œShe means gelato.” Reluctantly charmed again, Sawyer shifted his pack. “She doesn’t forget anything.”
    â€œI could go for gelato,” Riley considered.
    â€œAnd I need another suit for swimming. I only have one.”
    Now Riley arched her eyebrows. “What you have is a fraction of one.”
    â€œWorn brilliantly,” Doyle put in, and made Annika smile.
    â€œI think gelato’s an excellent plan.” With her damp hair drawn back in a tail, Sasha scanned the marina. “I bet it’s an easy find, too, and on the way.”
    â€œLet’s find out.” Bran took her hand.
    Within five minutes, after tugging Annika away from window displays of shiny objects, they met rock-hard determination.
    â€œThis shop has suits for swimming. I need this.”
    â€œTake her in, Sawyer.”
    â€œOh, no.” His determination just as rock-hard, he shook his head at Riley. “That’s a girl thing. That’s absolutely a girl thing.”
    â€œI’m going with Sawyer on that.” In solidarity Bran slapped a hand on his shoulder. “I say the females deal with this, and the rest of us head right up there.” He gestured. “We can pick up more beer.”
    â€œI’m going with them.” Riley stepped over to the male side.
    â€œWait a minute,” Sasha began.
    â€œI’m going to find what we need to make Bellinis. We definitely need Bellinis.”
    â€œBellinis.” Sasha sighed, looked at the shop, weighed shopping chaos against Bellinis. “All right, you’ve sold me. Annika, I’ll go in with you, but you can’t try on everything. You have