“You are young, and it’s dangerous to travel alone!”
“First of all, I am twenty-four, and plenty of young people travel alone,” I argue. “And second, my thesis on animal conservation isn’t going all that great. I can’t figure out where to start when everything I try to write has been covered a thousand times already. So maybe this trip could help open my mind…” My mouth falls open as my brain lights up with an idea. “Oh my God, I just had an idea. You guys, this is great.”
“What’s great?” Mom watches as I jump up, clapping excitedly the way I used to when I was younger. “Sylvie.”
“This trip. What if I switch my thesis study to cover the western Steller sea lions on Adak Island during their breeding seasons?” I’m talking fast, just as fast as my mind is moving. “If I can finish my field study in time… Wait, when is the senate meeting happening, Dad?”
“In three months.”
“Perfect. Absolutely perfect. The breeding season happens in…” I tap a finger on my forehead as I recall whatever knowledge I have on western Steller sea lions. “Mid-May to mid-July—that’s exactly two months. If I go in June and finish my field study in time, I could present my findings at the same meeting where the senate is set to decide on the resort proposal. Instead of just protesting, why don’t I submit facts to the senate? I’m sure I can make them see reason.” There’s pride on my father’s face when I turn back to them. “So, what do you think?”
“Sylvie.” It’s my mother’s calm voice that freezes the smile on my face. “Sweetheart, I don’t think you realize how dangerous it is to travel to such a remote place on your own.”
“When you were twenty-one, didn’t you drag Dad to the icy waters of the Arctic to protest whaling fleets?”
“She’s right, darling. Remember what I had to do to keep you warm because you forgot to pack your gloves?”
When my mother flushes at whatever memory the two share and her eyes gleam with what I can only interpret as mischief, I figure that’s my cue to leave them. “I’ll go and…”hide? Disappear? Erase that look in their eyes from my mind.“Make arrangements,” I finish, but neither barely pays any attention to me. At least they aren’t fighting anymore. With a sigh, I let myself out of the study, more excited than I’ve been in a long time.
I’m going to Adak Island!
Chapter One
Two Months Later
Sylvie
I forgot my gloves. Of course, I did.
I close my suitcase and glance out the window at the gray sky and the wind working at the glass. My jacket barely held up on the walk from the inn to the townhouse. Now I need to turn right back around and go find a pair.
“I don’t suppose they have delivery out here,” I mutter—though honestly, I’m not sure why I’m surprised. I’ve done field work before. I’ve camped in the rain in the San Juans and spent weeks on a research vessel in the Pacific. I know how to rough it. I just apparently don’t know how to pack in a hurry.
I could slide into my sheets and sleep away the afternoon, but I’m only here for ten days and can hardly waste a moment of it. I’ve been planning this trip for two months and had everything mapped out—from where I’d stay and the services I could get at the inn to everything I could gather about the western Steller sea lions. I had everything planned and yet, I forgot the gloves.
Dammit.
I push to my feet and stalk to the door. The moment I pull it open, a sharp wind cuts through the gap, instantly stealing my breath and nudging me back a step. The air nips at my cheeks, stinging my eyes.
Okay, so much for that. It’s not exactly brutal, but it’s definitely not California. It’s just my luck that the animals that need saving aren’t on some tropical beach where there’s warm sand and fruity cocktails…okay, stop!
I pull the door open again, steeling myself. Not so bad. I step out, pulling my jacket tighter, then shove my hands into my pockets. Ten minutes to the store. Less if I jog.
The chill seeps through my clothes as I jog to the store that the Inn owner pointed at when he showed me to the townhouse. My fingers are already pink when I let myself into the warmth of what appears to be a general store, a bell jingling merrily above me. The warmth washes over me in a comforting wave, making me shiver.
My eyes take a moment to adjust to the dim lighting, a soft glow coming from the antique lamps hanging from the ceiling and the flickering gas lamps that line the walls. The air inside is thick with the scent of aged wood, mingled with the sweet aroma of freshly baked goods and the subtle, earthy fragrance of spices. My gaze sweeps the shelves laden with a variety of goods, stretching from floor to ceiling. My sweet tooth takes notice of the jars of colorful candies and preserves lining the upper shelves.
In the corner, I spot a small selection of clothing and accessories, no doubt kept in plain sight for the benefit of unprepared visitors like myself. The rack has warm woolen scarves, thick gloves—and oh, hats too.
“Hello there.”
I turn around quickly. Behind a long, well-worn counter, an old woman with a kind face and cheerful smile is watching me. She’s wearing a green apron over a floral dress, and the twinkle in her eyes makes her look decades younger than she probably is. Which is about seventy, my guess would be. No more than eighty, though.
“Hi,” I say, yanking my hands from the pockets and rubbing them together to bring some kind of warmth to my numb fingers. “I was hoping to buy some gloves and a hat. And maybe talk to someone who knows where the sea lions’ breeding ground is.”
The woman’s charming smile dims, and her sharp brown eyes narrow on me. “Are you with those real estate people—”
“No. Oh, no no no,” I say quickly, waving my cold fingers at her. “I’m just here for research for my thesis. I’m a wildlife conservationist. I’ll show you.” I pat around my pockets and curse lightly under my breath when I realize I left my ID back at the townhouse. “Sorry, I think I left it at the place I’m renting. Anyway, I’m here to do research on the Steller sea lions and present my findings to the State Senate to stop those real estate people from building a resort here.”
