Chapter 2

The snow swallowed me whole. Wave after wave of bone-deep cold swept through my body until I felt the frostbitten patches go numb, one by one.

A coworker finally spotted me and hauled me out. My mind had already started to fog over—one more gust of wind and I might have died right there.

I pounded my chest, coughing violently, and Susan's startled voice cut through the ringing in my ears.

"Naomi, what happened to you?" Her eyes went red, like she'd been the one wronged. "Was this really necessary, just because Carl wanted to take me to see the northern lights? If you didn't want to cover for me, you could've just said so. You didn't have to torture yourself over it."

I shot her a cold look. "Drop the act."

Carl stepped in front of her protectively. "Susan only wants what's best for you. Don't bite the hand that's trying to help."

Susan grabbed my arm again, studying me with a suspicious tilt of her head. "Naomi, is that... frostbite makeup? Or is it..."

"Or is it what?" Carl asked her gently, lowering his voice.

Susan gave an awkward little laugh and shook her head, playing coy. "Never mind, I must be seeing things. You're his wife—why would you have filthy diseases?"

Something shattered. Carl had crushed the bottle in his hand, his eyes locked on mine.

"filthy diseases?"

Before I could get a word out, Susan's gaze darted nervously between the two of us. "Captain, did I say something wrong? Naomi looks upset."

Then, without warning, she pinched me, hard. "Oh, I must have been mistaken—a rash from a filthy disease wouldn't cover an entire arm like that."

The pain was blinding. I flinched and shoved her hand away on instinct. Instantly, tears welled up in her eyes.

"I already covered for you, and this is how you repay me? You hit me?"

Carl rushed to check her over, then turned to me, his voice flat. "I already told Susan she could have the placement home. Don't take it out on her. Apologize."

I clenched my jaw and glared back at him, refusing to budge. "I didn't do anything wrong. She's the one who pinched—"

"Naomi," Susan cut in, eyes brimming, "it's fine if I don't go home. Take the placement instead. I don't want to be the reason you and the captain fall apart..."

Carl's expression didn't soften. "Since you won't apologize, you can make it up to her instead. That jealous streak of yours needs to be dealt with. You're covering Susan's shift underground for the next two weeks. Don't bother coming back up."

I'd already told him I had frostbite, and he was sending me forty below anyway. Shaking with fury, I turned on him.

"Are you really that desperate to kill me off just to make room for her?"

His throat worked, but no answer came. Behind him, Susan shot me a taunting glance before stepping in front of him again. "The captain's not like that, Naomi. Don't jump to conclusions."

Whatever hesitation had flickered across his face vanished. His eyes went cold. "When are you going to learn to be as understanding as Susan? Is jealousy and suspicion all you're capable of anymore?"

I could have had a better life than this. Instead, I'd spent ten years by his side in the Arctic for this. A blast of frozen air poured down my throat and swallowed whatever I might have said back.

"As your captain," he said coldly, "I'm ordering you to go underground for shift duty."

Then he wrapped an arm around Susan and walked off without a backward glance.