At least he still seems cowed, she tells herself, watching Aylin smile at something Leo is saying. Bo Ramnes’ political career appears have taken off, true, but the risk of him winning a seat in parliament – or worse, of the Progress Party continuing to grow – isn’t something Karen can bring herself to worry about now.

Not right now, when Aylin is smiling on the other side of the table.

Half a dozen bottles of assorted local lagers are set down on the table and their stressed waitress hands Eirik a stack of menus before hurrying on. Their collective apathy quickly dissipates, greedy arms reach across the table for bottles and glasses. Content sipping follows, while menus are passed around along with chitchat about what people feel like eating.

‘Shouldn’t we seize the moment?’ Eirik says. ‘It’s the last day of the season . . .’

Everyone knows what he’s referring to. Shrimp, lobster and oysters are caught, cooked and eaten all summer, but the last day of April marks the traditional end of the kraken’s-catch season at many of the city’s restaurants. And they certainly know to charge for it, Karen grumbles inwardly and closes the menu. What now costs a fortune at the fishmongers was everyday food back in Langevik when she was growing up.

After a brief moment’s hesitation, they make up their minds. Expensive, but worth every shilling. Kraken’s catch it is.

They helpfully lift glasses, bottles, and cutlery baskets off the table when the waitress returns with a big roll of thick, brown paper. Watch while she expertly pushes it across the empty table and hear the thud when it hits the ground on the other side. And there it stays while she takes beer and wine orders. When she’s done, she tears the paper and disappears with the roll under her arm.

Karen looks over at Kore and Leo at the other end of the table. Wonders whether she should mention the thing about Luna’s phone, but decides not to. Immediately after finishing her conversation with Sören Larsen, she had told Leo, who in turn had informed Kore, that Her Holy Highness seemed to have returned to the islands. And she knows what it means that Leo spent all day in the studio; Luna is back and the boys at KGB have forgiven and forgotten.

Then she hears Marike’s voice as familiar notes rise from the table next to theirs.

‘Nooo, not again,’ she says. ‘I hate that song!’

Karen rolls her eyes at the others while they patiently listen as the moderately sober men at the next table sing:

‘Listen to me, all and one,

We can rest when we are done.

The cold is gone from soil and stones,

Now we drink marrow into our bones.’