Ariadne shook her head; how to explain without sounding demented had always been a problem with places like this. "It's not the afterlife," she told him, watching carefully. "It's an island. Outside of time, outside of the world. We're brought here by powerful magic. But it's not paradise, and nobody is being punished for their sins." Close enough. At least he didn't think this was a dream that he'd wake from with a bullet to the brain.