“If you want to try your first drink tonight, don’t let me stop you,” she said. “Just don’t go overboard.”

“You mean drink so much I’ll fall off the ferry? I doubt it.” Hæra flagged down their waitress. “Here she comes. What should we get?”

“Uh…you can’t go wrong with a nice glass of wine. And white wine goes best with fish.”

The waitress arrived. Hæra said, “We’ll have two glasses of white wine, please.”

“Right.” The waitress smiled. “Do you know which white you’d like?”

Hæra frowned, then cast a sidelong glance at Madeleine. “Do you know?”

Madeleine hid a smile and leaned forward toward the waitress. “I don’t,” she said. “Can we see the list?”

“The wine-dark sea,” Madeleine murmured.

Hæra wasn’t sure what she meant by that. She was sure, however, that Madeleine’s body was quite close to hers as they strolled along the dock outside the Jorsay ferry terminal. Their arms were touching, even though they had their hands in their pockets.

Wine was interesting, it turned out. She hadn’t minded the Pinot Grigio after the first couple of sips. It wasn’t salty like she usually preferred her beverages, but neither was it sweet. A bit sour, perhaps: not unpleasant.

Having finished two glasses, she felt calmer. The restaurant had been a disturbing experience at first—far more than Skara Brae. It was one thing to be surrounded by a load of humans when you were outside and moving around. It was another to sit still and be packed in like a sardine swarm within an enclosed space, unable to smell the sea.

But the wine had had a relaxing effect, and now she walked with Madeleine in a merry mood as the sun dipped lower over the horizon. It had stayed out all day today, and there was still over an hour left before dark fell completely. How rare to have felt sunlight on her face for so long.

That said, the amount of light made Madeleine’s statement even more puzzling. “The sea’s not dark,” Hæra said. “Nor was the wine.”

“I know. It’s a quote from the Odyssey.”

The title was familiar. “Isn’t that a story about somebody going on a long journey?”

“Yes! Odysseus.” Madeleine sounded impressed by Hæra’s knowledge; Hæra couldn’t help puffing out her chest a bit. “He’s trying to go home, but it takes him so long that when he finally gets back, everything is different.” She giggled. “Reminds me of…well, me.”

Madeleine had also ordered two glasses of wine, though she hadn’t finished the second. She looked more relaxed as well. In fact, she’d been wearing a little smile ever since they got off the ferry, where the wine hadn’t agreed with her as much.