Widowed Classics Professor Thomas Bradley (Billy Zane) is about to lose his research grant studying ancient love spells at Oxford University. He knows he is close to a major academic breakthrough and desperately needs more time to complete his research. Thomas is given one last chance to finish his work, and goes to the Greek island of Spetses, where he has been invited to stay at the home of a supportive Oxford don Professor Coulter. Thomas brings along his 12-year-old daughter, Serena (Amber Savva). The house is in tolerable condition, and Serena finds a book about merpeople that has an ancient Greek inscription on the cover.