The soft sand under my feet was undoubtedly a relief after seven days of sailing in that boat. I felt the accumulated fatigue in every part of my body, and the prospect of finally setting foot on solid ground was revitalizing. Before us stretched a dense forest, tall trees seemingly touching the sky, and lush vegetation everywhere. I took a deep breath of the fresh, warm air, letting the scent of the sun flood my senses, and nodded with satisfaction.
I glanced at Perséfone, who was kneeling beside me, running the sand through her fingers. I guessed she was verifying that all of this was real and not a hallucination after so many days at sea. Sleeping in the boat had been uncomfortable, to say the least. Fortunately, we hadn't encountered dangerous sea creatures, but the monotony of fishing and eating fish three times a day throughout the journey had begun to take its toll.
