p. 403

The woman who drew the map gave her life to fight Vévoda. She was found in Cap de Bol, but had been violently drowned wine.

S. is shocked by this horrible death. He feels that it is worse than all of the other murders he has witnessed. It feels personal, in a way. S. begins to wonder whether the woman’s death is worse than any of the deaths that he has caused. S. decides that he will no longer ask this question.

S. is somewhat haunted by all of the assassinations he has carried out. He begins to question their purpose, but he also knows that he has a mission, and that he cannot dwell on the past.

Meanwhile, the weather is changing, and the Winter City has disappeared. The icebergs around the ship have gotten smaller and appear less frequently. S. and Sola are sitting together, drinking tea. S. is amazed by the luxury of tea.

It is hard to imagine S. and Sola together on the ship, drinking tea. After years of searching, S. is finally with Sola.

Jen writes that the drowning of a woman in wine actually happened. A Marseille newspaper reported the death on March 19, 1948. It seems that Straka is placing real world murders into his book.

Eric wonders whether S.’s guilt is a way for Straka to confess the murders that he has committed.