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“Daniel is a world-class—”
“Asshole? Dickhead?”
“Professor!” I whisper-shouted at her. “Honestly. We share an appreciation for the mythology surrounding native cultures.”
“What you shared,” she accented the D, “was a need to get laid while drowning in academia. The problem was that he took advantage.”
“It was consensual.” I bristled at her accusation, though I’d heard it from her before. It was just that it touched a nerve. I wished she would drop it since I’d broken up with my dissertation advisor a month ago. He’d understood.
Then again, he’d be in a pile of manure the size of Indiana if he said anything to the department, so I supposed he had little choice in the matter. And the thing that Cora didn’t know was that technically, I initiated the entire thing. I needed Daniel if I was going to get a green light on my work, and since he’d grown leery based on the subject matter, I hit the fast forward button on what he’d been hinting at anyway. The attraction was mutual while my technical pursuits teetered on the edge of what many called pseudoscience. I cringed inwardly at the word. I’d prove them all wrong no matter what it took. It might be the 22nd century, but the patriarchy still thought they knew everything about the way the world worked.
The pilot’s voice thankfully interrupted my thoughts and announced we’d be landing shortly. I leaned over Cora’s seat and slid a finger across the glass, letting the sensor know to eliminate the tint. Instantly, the bright azure sky filled the floor length panel to her right, and a breathtaking scene infused me with excitement rather than nerves.
Below us, the crystalline land stretched out in undulating hills and mountains, punctuated by inlets of water so clear and still they could have been mirrors. White reflected everywhere against the bluest backdrop I could have imagined. And rising from the center of what felt like a vast untouched wonderland was what looked like a fairytale palace made of ice.
“I think I might’ve dressed inappropriately,” Cora said, frowning out the window.
I elbowed her. “I told you that before we left. But it’ll be fine. We enter directly into the resort, and it is climate controlled.” I’d studied every article, website, and schematic available when I’d been informed I’d won the grand prize, all-expenses-paid trip.
During landing, my leg bounced spasmodically as my foot tapped the floor. I guessed I was anxious to get going. Now that I could see it for myself, the dream I’d had felt so much more like a silly nightmare induced by anxiety about finishing my dissertation. Well, that and probably all the Inuit monster lore I’d studied up on before coming. Now that I was here, I couldn’t wait to explore the educational museum portion of the resort that held never before uncovered information about the local environment, as well as the Inuit culture, the closest native people to the unexplored interior we were about to inhabit for a month.
According to the website, there was even an Inuit teacher who offered classes on their culture. I couldn’t believe my luck. It would be perfect for my dissertation material if they’d agree to an interview. And I couldn’t help imagining Austin Cooper’s expedition leading me to some new archeological discovery, like cave paintings, or even an Adlet, the Inuit version of a werewolf. It made my toes tingle to think about it.
A gentle tap was all I felt of the landing before we coasted between the icy walls of the compound. They seemed to purposely curve with points and texture that allowed the natural light to dance across them in a beautiful visual display. Bright white might have been what I’d expected, but what I saw were iridescent rainbows of undulating light that stole my breath.
The oohs and ahhs from the others on the plane confirmed I wasn’t the only one. The Bennets had really put some design work into this place. Maybe someday I’d be able to afford a vacay to one of their other fantasy resorts. The Time Capsule Resort already occupied the top spot on my bucket list if they were to choose a destination like ancient Mayan or Incan times. Not that this was anything to sneeze at. The opportunity this would provide toward my studies was more than I could have hoped for.
Luck had truly found me, and I wasn’t naïve enough to think I’d ever have another opportunity like this.
Time to buck up, Rosi. No hesitation or timidity on this trip.For the next month, I pledged to be more like Cora and jump at every opportunity given.
“Excuse me, Ms. Sanchez?”
I looked up into the eyes of the hostess who’d supplied Cora’s many beverages and my one, barely touched hydropod. I was glad the water and container were both consumable and recyclable or I’d have felt guilty.
“Yes?” I glanced around at the other passengers as we glided to a stop so flawless I barely felt it.
“Ms. Bennet has asked that you remain seated until everyone else has had a chance to disembark.”
Sweat coated my palms, and my heartrate kicked up a notch. “Is something wrong?”
“On the contrary!” The woman leaned down to reassure me with a pat on the shoulder. “She wishes to greet you herself. It’s all part of your special trip.”
I glanced to Cora, who shrugged.
“Ms. Fines?” The hostess said to Cora. “You can go on ahead. A member of the staff will escort you to your suite.”
“I guess I’ll meet you there?” I said, pleading with my eyes for Cora to insist on sticking by my side.
Instead, my best friend stood up and climbed over me to get to the aisle. “Sounds good.”
And before I knew it, she was lost in the melee of those exiting the plane. The hostess, whose nametag still an inch from my face read “Brianna,” stayed by me. She probably meant well, but I couldn’t shake the feeling she was making sure I behaved by blocking my exit until the last person left.
Brianna raised a finger to her ear, receiving some sort of communication. She plastered on a smile and stepped back, sweeping an arm out to allow me passage.
“Right this way, Ms. Sanchez.”
Swallowing down the panic that insisted on attacking me for no reason, I stood and wiped my hands on the legs of my jeans.
It’s fine. Everything is fine. It was my mantra as I rounded the corner to the exit ramp.
But it wasn’t fine because the first thing that greeted me was the roar of applause and chatter as lights flashed, stealing my vision with spots to the point I had to throw up an arm to shade my face.
“Now, now, let the poor thing off the plane. No flash, please.” A woman’s commanding voice silenced the crowd so I could recover enough to blink the world back into place.
My knees buckled at the sight of at least fifty news cameras hovering around the plane, and what I assumed were journalists to match. I reached out for something to prevent myself from going down and gripped an arm. A strong, warm arm.
One glance to my left showed I’d just latched onto none other than Cora’s dream man, Austin Cooper himself.
