Whitney is still trying to picture the story Bernard has just begun telling when the front door opens once more. She barely pays attention at first, assuming another member of the household has returned from town.
The house has become unusually lively over the past week, with Timothy, Samuel, Christa, and several others coming and going as Medusa's relief efforts continue around the world. The familiar sound of footsteps echoes through the hallway, followed by laughter that drifts naturally into the living room.
Aleysia looks toward the entrance first, and the smile that immediately spreads across her face tells Medusa exactly who has arrived. "Looks like they're back."
A moment later, Artemis walks into the room carrying two paper bags from one of Longyearbyen's small bakeries. She's dressed nothing like the internationally famous model the public knows as Delia Stavropoulos.
