{"product_id":"bay-of-sighs-isbn-9780425280119","title":"Bay of Sighs","description":"\u003cb\u003eTHE #1 \u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e BESTSELLER\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe second novel in the Guardians Trilogy from the bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eStars of Fortune\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMermaid Annika is from the sea, and it is there she must return after her quest to find the stars. New to this world, her purity and beauty are nothing less than breathtaking, along with her graceful athleticism, as her five new friends discovered when they retrieved the fire star. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Now, through space and time, traveler Sawyer King has brought the guardians to the island of Capri, where the water star is hidden. And as he watches Annika in her element, he finds himself drawn to her joyful spirit. But Sawyer knows that if he allows her into his heart, no compass could ever guide him back to solid ground...\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e And in the darkness, their enemy broods. She lost one star to the guardians, but there is still time for blood to be spilled—the mermaid’s in the water and the traveler’s on the land. For she has forged a dangerous new weapon. Something deadly and unpredictable. Something human.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDon't miss the other books in the Guardians Trilogy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eStars of Fortune\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eIsland of Glass \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"Perennial favorite Roberts picks up the action right after events from the first book in her Guardians trilogy...The heroine in this book is a mermaid unfamiliar with human culture, so a charming aspect of this story is her learning curve on human behavior. Great reading fun!\"—\u003ci\u003eRT Book Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eNora Roberts\u003c\/b\u003e is the #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of more than 200 novels. She is also the author of the bestselling In Death series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.Chapter One\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For an instant, like a single beat of wings, Annika scented the      sea, heard the voices lifted in song. Here then gone, a blur      within the blur of color and speed, but it swelled in her heart      like love.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Then came a sigh, and the echoes of sighs, another kind of music.      Bittersweet. And this washed through her like tears.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e So with joy and sorrow mated in her heart, she fell. Tumbling,      spiraling, spinning in a breathless rush that added a reckless      thrill and a quick panic.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A thousand wings beat now, a thousand and a thousand more, with      whipping wind, a wall of sound. And color flicked away into the      dark as she landed abruptly enough to lose her breath.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For a moment she feared they'd landed in some deep, dark cave      where spiders would crawl, and worse, much worse, where Nerezza      waited to strike.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Then her vision cleared. She made out shadows, what she knew as      moonlight, and felt the firm body beneath hers, the arms wrapped      tight around her. She knew that shape, that scent, wanted to      snuggle right in, Nerezza or not.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It was a wonder, a star-struck sea of wonder, to feel his heart      beat, so fast and strong, against hers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Then he shifted a little, and one hand slid up, then down her      hair. The other skimmed wonderfully over her bottom.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She snuggled right in.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Um.\" Both hands came to her shoulders now, but his voice spoke      close enough to her heart that his breath tickled it. \"Are you      okay? Are you hurt? Everybody okay?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She remembered her friends-not that she'd forgotten them, not      ever. But she'd never lain so intimately on a man before-on      Sawyer-and she liked it very, very much.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She heard grunts, short groans, some cursing. Doyle's voice, close      by and annoyed, clearly said, \"Fuck me,\" which she knew wasn't an      invitation to mate, but an oath.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She didn't worry about Doyle. After all, he was an immortal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Sound off.\" That was Bran, somewhere a few feet away. \"Did      everybody make it? I've got Sasha. Riley?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What a ride!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"One you finished with your knee in my balls,\" Doyle added.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Annika heard a thump, which she interpreted as Doyle shoving Riley      and her knee aside-as balls, she'd learned, weren't just the round      toy that bounced, but a man's sensitive area.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm here,\" she called out, and experimented by wiggling a little      on Sawyer's sensitive area. \"Did we fall out of the sky?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Not far from it.\" Sawyer cleared his throat and, to Annika's      disappointment, shifted again and sat up. \"I couldn't slow it      down. I've never taken six people this far. I misjudged, I guess.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We're here, the six of us, and that's first on the list,\" Bran      stated. \"Now, are we where we aimed to be?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We're inside,\" Sasha commented. \"I can see windows, and moonlight      through them. Wherever we are, it's still night.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Let's hope Sawyer and his time- and space-bending compass got us      where and when we want. So let's find out.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Riley pushed to her feet. The scientist-archaeologist. Annika      rolled the word in her mind as her people, the merpeople, had      nothing to compare. They had no lycans either, she thought, so      nothing and no one quite like Riley existed in Annika's world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dr. Riley Gwin-tough, compact body, wide-brimmed hat that had      somehow stayed on her head-strode to the window.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I can see water, but not the view from the villa on Corfu-we're      higher up. A road, steep, narrow. We've got steps leading down to      it. I'm pretty sure this is Capri, and this is the villa.      Bull's-eye, Sawyer. Kudos to the traveler and his magic compass.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'll take them.\" He stood, hesitated, then held out a hand to      help Annika up. Though her legs were strong and agile, she let      him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Let me see if I can find the lights,\" Riley began.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I can help with that.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Bran, on his feet, an arm around Sasha, held out his hand. The      ball of light hovering over his palm illuminated the room.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Seeing her friends lifted her heart as the song had. Sasha, the      seer, with her hair like the sun and her eyes of the sky, and      Bran, the sorcerer, so handsome with his magick lighting him. And      Riley, one hand on the butt of the gun on her hip-at the ready-her      dark gold eyes looking everywhere at once as Doyle, a warrior      through and through, stood with his sword already drawn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e And Sawyer, always Sawyer, with the compass of the traveler in his      hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They might be bruised and bloodied from the last battle, but they      were safe and together.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Is this our home now?\" she wondered. \"It's very pretty.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Unless Sawyer dropped us at the wrong address, I say this is the      new HQ.\" Though her hand stayed on her gun, Riley moved from the      window.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The room had colorful cushions on a long bed-no, Annika reminded      herself, a sofa. And chairs and tables with pretty lamps. The      floor-they all had reason to know-was hard, with large tiles the      color of sun-beaten sand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Riley moved to one of the lamps, turned the switch and, with the      magic of electricity, it lit.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Let me get my bearings, make sure we're in the right place. We      don't want a visit from the polizia.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Riley moved out of the room through a wide, arched opening. In      seconds, more light poured through. Sheathing his sword, Doyle      moved out after her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Here's all our stuff, at least it looks like all of it. And it      looks like it had a softer landing than we did.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Annika peeked out. She didn't know what to call the space with its      big door facing the sea, and the archways leading to other spaces.      But their bags and boxes sat in a pile in the center of it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e And with a muttered curse, Doyle heaved his motorcycle upright.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I had to drop the stuff first so we didn't end up landing on it,\"      Sawyer said. \"Bull's-eye or not, Riley?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It fits the description I got,\" Riley went on. \"And the location.      There's supposed to be a large living area with glass doors      leading to a . . . And here we go.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e More lights, and as Riley said, a large room with more of the      sofas and chairs and pretty little things. But best, oh, best of      all, the wide, wide glass to bring in the sky and sea.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When Annika rushed forward to open the glass, Riley stayed her      hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Don't. Not yet. There's an alarm system. I have the code. We need      to turn it off before we open this, or anything else.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Panel's right here,\" Sawyer told her, and tapped it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Give me a sec.\" Riley dug a piece of paper out of her pocket.      \"Didn't want to trust my memory in case the trip scrambled my      brains.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Shifting doesn't scramble brains.\" Grinning, Sawyer knocked his      knuckles on Riley's head as she keyed in the code.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Go ahead and open it, Annika.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When she did, she twirled out onto a wide terrace, where there was      night and moon, sea and the scent of it all, all perfumed with      lemons and flowers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It's beautiful! I've never seen it from so high.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"But you've seen it before?\" Sawyer asked her. \"Capri?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"From the sea. And beneath, where there are blue caves and deep      water and the bones of ships that sailed long ago. There are      flowers!\" She reached out to touch the petals of flowers spilling      out of hefty pots in bright colors. \"I can water and tend them. It      can be my job.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Deal. This is the place.\" With a satisfied nod, Riley set her      hands on her hips. \"Kudos again, Sawyer.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We should check through it in any case.\" Bran stood at the      opening, dark, intense eyes scanning the sky.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Nerezza often came from the sky.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'll be adding protection over the more usual alarm system,\" he      continued. \"We caused her pain, and harm, so it's unlikely she'll      gather herself enough to come at us again tonight, if indeed she      can find us. But we'll sleep better with a layer of magick over      all.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Split up.\" With his sword sheathed, his dark hair tumbled around      his hard, handsome face, Doyle nodded agreement. \"Go through the      place, make certain it's clear and secured.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Should be two bedrooms down here, four more upstairs, and another      common space. It's not big and plush like the villa, and we won't      have all that outdoor space.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Or Apollo,\" Annika put in.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Yeah.\" Riley smiled. \"I'm going to miss that dog. But there's      room, and it's well located. I'll take the upstairs.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You just want first call on the bedrooms.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Riley grinned at Sasha, then frowned. \"You okay, Sash? You're      pale.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Just a headache. A regular headache,\" she said when all eyes      turned to her. \"I don't try to fight the visions anymore. It's      just been a very long day.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"And so it has.\" Bran drew her close to his side, whispered      something in her ear that made her smile and nod. \"We'll take      upstairs as well,\" he said, and with Sasha, vanished.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh, cheat! No fair using magick!\" Riley charged toward the steps      and up.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Three up, so three down to clear this floor. I'd sooner bunk down      here,\" Doyle said with a look around, \"closer to the outside      access.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You and me down here then,\" Sawyer decided-to Annika's      disappointment. \"Closer to the kitchen and the food. Let's see      what we've got.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The two bedrooms stood side by side. Not as big as the ones they'd      left behind on Corfu, but with nice beds and pretty views from the      windows.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Works,\" Doyle stated.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Works,\" Sawyer agreed after opening another door to a bathroom      with a shower.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The door slid in and out of the wall, delighting Annika so she had      to push it in, pull it out a few times before Sawyer grabbed her      hand and pulled her away.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They found another room with what Sawyer called a bar, a big      television on the wall (she loved television), and a large table      where colorful balls stood in a triangle on a green top.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Annika stroked her hand over the top. \"It isn't grass.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Felt,\" Sawyer told her. \"It's a pool table-a game. You play?\" he      asked Doyle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What man who's lived a few centuries hasn't played pool?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I've only lived a few decades, but I've played my share. We'll      have to have a game.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e There was a powder room-though no one powdered anything in them      that Annika had seen-and then the kitchen and eating area. She      knew immediately Sawyer was pleased.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He wandered through it. A tall, lean body that moved, she thought,      as if never hurried. Her fingers wanted to brush through all the      dark gold hair the sun had streaked, shaggy and windblown from the      traveling. And eyes, gray like the sea in the first silver light      of dawn, that made her want to sigh.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"The Italians understand cooking-and eating. This is excellent.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She knew something about cooking now, had even learned to make a      few dishes, so she recognized the big stove with its many burners,      and the ovens for baking and roasting. A center island held its      own sink, which charmed her, and another sink-wider-stood under a      window.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Sawyer opened the box that kept things cold-the refrigerator, she      remembered. \"Already stocked. Riley doesn't miss a trick. Beer?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh, absolutely,\" Doyle said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Anni?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I don't like the beer very much. Is there something else?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Got your soft drinks, some fruit juice. And wait.\" He pointed up      to a rack holding bottles. \"Wine.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I like the wine.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Got you covered then.\" He chose a bottle, passed a beer to Doyle,      took one for himself, then wandered to a door. \"Pantry, also      stocked. We're in business.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He opened drawers until he found the tool to open the wine.      Corkscrew-such a funny word.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I don't know about anybody else, but I'm starved. Shifting that      many that far, it hulls you out.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I could eat,\" Doyle decided.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm going to throw something together. Riley was right, Sasha      looks pale. We'll eat, drink, decompress.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Have at it then. I'm going to check outside.\" With his sword      still sheathed on his back, Doyle went through another wide glass      door.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I can help you make the food.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Don't you want to grab up a bedroom?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I like to help make the food.\" With you, most of all, she      thought.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Okay, let's keep it simple. Quick pasta, tossed with butter and      herbs. And we've got . . . yeah, we've got tomatoes, mozzarella.\"      He pulled the cheese from the refrigerator, handed her a tomato      from the bowl on the counter. \"You remember how to slice these      up?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Yes, I can slice very well.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You slice them up, then find a plate or tray or platter.\" He      spread his hands to show her size.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He had strong hands, but was gentle with them. Annika thought      gentleness was its own kind of strength.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"And you lay them out with the cheese on top of the tomato,\" he      continued, so she knew to pay attention. \"Drizzle this olive oil      over them.\" He set a container on the counter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Drizzle is like rain, but only a little.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You got it. Then you're going to take this.\" He walked over to      the windowsill, where some pots sat, and broke off a stem with      leaves. \"It's basil.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I remember. It adds flavor.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Yeah. Chop it up some, sprinkle it over everything, grind a      little pepper on there, too, and that's a wrap.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It's a wrap.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It's finished,\" he explained.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I will wrap it for you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Pleased, she braided her waist-length black hair back and away.      She got to work while he put a pot of water on the stove, poured      her wine, drank his beer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She liked the quiet times with him, and had learned to savor them.      There would be more fighting; she knew, accepted. There would be      more pain. She would accept that, too. But she had been given a      gift. The legs that allowed her to walk out of the sea and onto      land, if only for a short time. The friends who were more precious      than gold. The purpose that was her legacy and her duty.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e And most of all, Sawyer, whom she'd loved before he even knew she      existed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Do you dream, Sawyer?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What?\" Distracted, he glanced back at her as he found a colander.      \"Sure. Sure, most everybody does.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Do you dream of when we've done our duty, when we have all three      stars? When the Stars of Fortune are safe from Nerezza? When there      is no more fighting?\"","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304920895717,"sku":"NP9780425280119","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780425280119.jpg?v=1767722264","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/bay-of-sighs-isbn-9780425280119","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}