The girls mouth drew down in a moue. Over the rotting houses.
The rotting houses were what the selkies called The City Under the Sea. The houses themselves were all new, even the oldest not showing much wear from being underwater yet. All the same, the selkies had noticed a scent of rot in the water about thema detail that Duilio feared was linked to several reports of missing servants. They had only made a connection between those missing servants and the work of art a few weeks ago, when Lady Pereira de Santos had reported two of her maids missing only a day after the replica of her house had been mentioned in the newspapers. Theyd wondered if their bodies might be hidden within those houses. Agas sighting firmly linked Duilios sense of foreboding to The City Under the Sea , but he was still missing some vital clue. Was she swimming?
Aga shrugged fluidly. Yes, but then she was in the boat.
Duilio felt his brows drawing together. When had a boat entered the conversation? How late was this, Aga? Had the sun set?
She sighed as if vexed by all his questions. Only a little while ago. I swam to the mouth and then to the big boat . . .
The big boat would be the Ferreira familys yacht, moored out past the Bicalho Quay. I see.
. . . and then I walked here with the man.
Duilio chewed his lower lip as he calculated. Aga had swum out to the mouth of the Douro, almost three miles against the current, back to the yacht, and then shed walked nearly a mile up the steep streets of the Golden City. How long had that taken her? Perhaps two hours? Three? So, was it before the moon rose?
Yes. Her tone suggested he might be dense.
Women did not swim in the river in the middle of the night. Most human women never learned to swim at all. Did you see the woman, Aga? What did she look like?
The girl stepped closer and laid graceful hands on his velvet-covered chest. She didnt quite reach his chin. She wore black. And white.
His gift told him that this conversation was important , that he needed to know something this girl was telling him . . . or not telling him. He wasnt sure what questions he needed to ask. Were you close? he pressed. Did you see her face?
Aga rubbed her cheek against his chest. No. Wrong way.
He wished Tigana hadnt been in a mood to be generous. He didnt need this sort of distraction now. Duilio set his hands on the girls shoulders, stepped
back, and tried again. This is important, Aga. Can you tell me anything else? Did she fall out of the boat?
No, it was waiting when she came up, Aga said, her shoulders slumping.
Came up? From the houses? Why would someone come up from the houses? If they wanted a better look at them, they could ride out to the site on one of the submersible boats that sold tickets to curious folk who wished to see the work of art. Hed even gone to look at them himself. And at night it was too dark to see them anyway.
You dont want me? Agas hands began to roam his chest, drawing Duilios wandering mind very firmly back to the present.
Oh, what a vexing question. His body had clearly noted the girls lithe form. Heaven knew she was attractive enough, and once he got her out of Erdanos garments, the disturbing scent of male selkie would be greatly diminished. But she was part of Erdanos harem . . . and there was a servant outside in the hall, waiting. Both factors dampened any ardor she aroused in him. Hes my brother, he told her. I want to keep on his good side.
Why? She sighed again, sounding petulant. Tigana said . . .
He held her at a distance. All the same.
They said you were nice, she added plaintively.
Oh, good Lord . The only time hed gotten involved with any of the women from Erdanos harem had been when he was fifteen. That was half a lifetime ago, and evidently they still talked about him being nice. Well, it could be worse. Im sorry, Aga, but I need to sleep.
That only made him sound like an old man.
Her lower lip thrust out in a pout. What do I do?
Theres a room down the hall where Erdano sleeps when hes here. You can stay there for the rest of the night or go back to the boat if you wish.
Her face took on a calculating look. Is the handsome man from the boat still here?
Duilio resisted the urge to laugh at her eager tone. Poor João . I believe so.
The corners of her pretty lips lifted. Is he nice?
Duilio wasnt going to speculate about whether João was nice. You would have to ask him, I suppose.
Ill do that, she said brightly, then her brows drew together. Do I leave now?
Can you think of anything else to tell me about the woman in the water?
Aga took a deep breath and appeared to be thinking hard, her lips pinched together. She finally pronounced, She had webbed hands.
Like a thunderclap inside his brain, Duilio knew .
That was the fact hed been fishing for. His gift confirmed it.
A woman with webbed hands . Duilio set his own hand under the girls elbow and drew her back toward his bedroom door. When he opened it he found a very flustered-looking João right outside. The young man must have been listening at the keyhole.