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16

ROSI

Cora hadto pull the Tower. Not that I was an expert, but I knew the worst card in the deck when I saw it. She tried to put some sort of spin on it, like “Sometimes something has to happen in order to clear space for what you need and yadda yadda yadda.”

I appreciated the effort, but the concern in her eyes shoved me over the edge. I got up and went to lie in bed for the next day, refusing to let her pull any more cards, especially when she tried to tell me the Lovers came next. Disaster followed by the Lovers did not make me feel better.

“Tomorrow’s the big day, are you ready?” Cora asked, studiously ignoring the bowl of ice cream in my hands.

Flicking off the holos, I shoved a bite of rocky road in my mouth as I stared back at her.

Cora cocked a hip and tossed her hair. “You’re going.”

“You can go. Tell me if you find anything,” I said, mushing the mounds of chocolaty goodness until they started to melt.

“Fuck that,” Cora said. “Your whole life revolves around this obsession of yours and you are going tomorrow, or you’ll regret it.”

I opened my mouth to respond, pointing the spoon at her, but she continued over me.

“Do not let a man prevent you from being you.”

My mouth snapped shut. She was right, damn her. Austin might’ve crushed my expectations, but he was the asshole here, not me. I set the bowl on the floor for the cleaning bots and stood up.

“Fine. We’re going on that excursion tomorrow, and Austin Cooper is going to take us exactly where I tell him to.”

“That’s my Rosi!” Cora said, clapping. “Let’s get you packed.”

“I’ve had my backpack packed for this trip since we arrived,” I admitted. “Let’s go check out the dog sleds instead. I’ve been wanting a chance to get out there.”

Cora agreed, and we both dressed in the thermal clothing we’d purchased for the trip, including socks, pants, and sweaters. We then piled on our parkas, gloves, scarves, and thermal face shields before zipping into our boots. We looked like, well, like were about to go check out some dog sleds.

When we made it through the double set of doors to the exit, the biting cold hit the bits of skin at the edges of my thermals, the line between my neck and scarf and my wrists and sleeves. The force of the wind howled as it rushed over us, shoving us back a few steps as though trying to stop us from venturing out of the resort. But the rosy-cheeked family that rushed past us on their way back in told me it was worth the fight, and with Cora holding tightly to my arm, we made it to the now empty qamutik where a young Inuk man, who looked no older than my own twenty-five years, adjusted the straps over a beautiful white husky.

Next to him stood a shorter, familiar figure with a thick gray parka and round face.

“Hi, Ila!” I greeted her as several other dogs gathered round us, curious. “This is my friend, Cora.”

“Hello, Cora,” Ila yelled over the wind. “This is my son, Toklo. He takes care of the dogs.”

That explained why she was out here. “Hi, Toklo, nice to meet you. I’m Rosi. I had no idea you had a son working here, Ila.”

Ila grinned. “That wasn’t one of your questions.”

“You here for a ride?” Toklo asked, releasing the dog whose harness he’d been adjusting then giving it a brisk rub on the head. The dog barked. “Yuka wants me to introduce you.”

“Hello, Yuka,” I said, reaching down to let him sniff my glove before patting him.

The other dogs crowded in and ran around us, begging to play. Cora dropped to her knees in the crunchy snow and began petting as many as she could.

“We’d love a ride if it’s not too hard on the dogs,” I said.

Toklo shrugged. “They seem to want more exercise. I never ride them too hard. It’s just for fun anyway. Not like we need these things anymore with hover tech.”

He reminded me of his mother, practical yet knowledgeable in the traditions of his people. “Sounds good then. Want to join us, Ila?”

“Nah. There’s a cabana by the pool with my name on it. But you enjoy yourselves. Good thing you came today.” Ila glanced up at the sky, shielding her eyes. “Clear now, but there’s a snowstorm headed in in the next day or two.”

“I hope not,” I said, exchanging a look with Cora. “My expedition is scheduled for tomorrow, and I don’t want to cancel it.”