“She rescued me from a life where I was stifled, and gave me a life I wanted to lead,” Maia said. “And we did all have the very best intentions for building the Good Life.”

Klymene swung herself onto the Excellence. Caerellia and Maecenas were there to greet her. “This is Marissa, a colony founded by the Goodness Group but mostly consisting of refugees from the wars of the mainland,” she said concisely, to them but loudly enough that the rest of us pressing around could hear. “They are friendly and want to talk about trade. They have other cities, we don’t yet know where.”

“Marissa,” muttered Ficino. Maia nodded, as if it meant something. Too close to Maria? She seemed a benevolent goddess from what I knew of her, which was entirely pictorial. Of course I had not read the words of the Botticelli book, which were in the Latin alphabet but some language I did not know. I hadn’t heard much about the religion she was part of. Even Rome, I thought, still amazed.

“You said it’s safe?” Maecenas asked.

“Safe enough. Leave a watch aboard, I’d say.”

Caerellia nodded and started giving orders, that the watch on duty would stay aboard. Everyone not part of the Hesperides watch started for the rail.

“Safe for old men and children,” Ficino said, taking my arm. I was surprised how thin his hand felt. I swung over the rail and he followed me more slowly.

“Wait,” Maecenas said.

We stopped and turned.

“I want you to help with negotiations,” Maecenas said to Ficino.

“That’s never been one of my areas of interest,” Ficino said.

“No, but you’re good with people,” Maecenas said.

Ficino sighed and took his hand off my arm. “Very well. But I insist on having time to explore Marissa, at least as much as we did at Delos.”

“I don’t know how long we’ll stay, but I won’t keep you in negotiations every minute,” Maecenas said.

Ficino nodded and went with him.

I could see Father still surrounded by people. Erinna and Neleus had both stepped onto dry land, and were staggering a little, the same way I was. Maia was already striding off toward the statue. We followed after her.

Looking around, I found myself remembering the visit I had made to Sokratea with Mother a year ago. I touched Erinna’s arm—it just wasn’t possible to avoid touching her, but even the most normal things were charged with tingling erotic potential that I had to fight down. She turned to me. “Remember Sokratea?” I said, keeping my voice as even as I could. She nodded. “This feels the same, sort of. It’s like the City but not like it, and everyone is a stranger.”