"Well, we weren't thrown overboard, so I suppose that's something," she says, and her tone of voice suggests she's joking, but in that way people do when they're hiding the sting in something. "We kept our heads down and Merrick spent a great deal of time with his knives out, so everyone gave us a wide berth."

She sips her drink, and it goes down a little smoother this time. It also steels her for her next question.

"Do I want to know about how they treated Sina, or will it end with me crying?"