Chapter 1
His ability to track the passage of time had gotten away from him as days melted into
weeks. He knew his team was looking for him, but he also knew that they’d never find
him. His only chance, the chance he clung to during the darkest hours of the night, was
that she would find him in her dreams.
It had been almost a year since I lost my gift. A gift I hadn’t asked for and hadn’t necessarily
wanted, but a gift that had been unique to me all the same. In all honesty, I wasn’t sure how I felt
about the loss of the power that, at times, had been more of a burden than a gift.
On the one hand, when I’d lost my ability to connect with those who needed my help, the
dreams that had stolen sleep and had, at times, driven me to the edge of sanity, had finally ended.
I didn’t miss the nightmares that dominated my nights, and I really didn’t miss the body tremors,
mind-splitting headaches, and deeply felt fear and sorrow that, at times, threatened to consume
me.
But, on the other hand, with the loss of the gut-wrenching agony that came with the
connection, had come a cost. A death of sorts. Not a loss of a life, but another type of death. The
death of a soul. My soul.
“Are you Harmony Carson?” asked the pale woman with the dark circles under her eyes, who
appeared to be clinging to her last thread of hope.
“I am. You must be Laney Cotter.”
She nodded.
“I truly do understand how agonizingly painful the waiting must be for you, but I promise
you that the team is committed to finding your son.” In my mind, I added the words dead or
alive to the end of that sentence, but I didn’t voice them.
“I’ve heard of you,” she said, sliding onto a barstool across the high-top table from where I
was taking a break before heading out again.
I knew what was coming and cringed. This wasn’t the first time the friend or family member
of a hiker or skier lost in the Alaskan wilderness had come to me with hope in their eyes. Hope, I
might add, that I knew was misplaced given my current situation.
“Donny’s only ten years old.” She looked me directly in the eye. “He’s out there all alone. He
may already be dead. I guess I know that in my soul, but I pray he’s alive. I pray that someone
will find him in time.”
I felt the icy barrier I’d erected around my heart as a means of self-preservation begin to
melt. I knew the mother of the lost boy was truly living through her own personal hell, but I also
knew there really was only so much I could do to help.
“The search-and-rescue team looking for your son is really very good,” I tried to encourage
the woman to hold onto whatever hope she had left just a little longer. “We have four fully
trained dogs and two more who are doing very well with their training. These dogs have a
success rate unmatched by any team in the country. If your son is out there, the dogs will find
him.”
“It’s been more than six hours. It seems to me that if my son is going to be found alive, he
would have been found by now.”
The woman wasn’t wrong about that. While daytime temperatures had been moderate, once
the sun began its descent, the temperature had dipped to well below freezing.
“Have you ever loved someone who was missing?” the woman asked. “Someone you knew
you would never recover from losing but simply couldn’t help despite your willingness to do
anything you needed to do to save their life?”
“I have,” I answered. “My sister, Val. She was a member of the search-and-rescue team when
I was a teenager. Our parents died when I was young, and Val, along with her husband, Jake,
raised me. Val was my family. My everything. She went out on a mission and never returned. I
would have given my life to save hers had that been an option, so I do know what you are going
through.” I looked the woman in the eye. “If I could help find your son, I would.”
She just sat and stared at me. I knew she’d never give up. She believed I was the key to
finding her son, and she was never going to walk away until her son was found.
I guessed that I didn’t blame her. If it had been my son who was lost in the wilderness, I
would have done anything needed to save him as well. I remembered the feeling of hopelessness
I’d experienced when Val had gone missing. It had been a stormy night just before Christmas,
and things hadn’t looked good. I remembered hearing the other members of the search-and-
rescue team whispering that the odds of finding Val alive were decreasing with each hour. I
remember wanting to give my life for hers, and suddenly, there she was in my head. I could feel
her pain, but I also felt the prayer in her heart. I knew she was dying, but I could feel her love for
me. I could feel her fighting to live. I could also feel the life draining from her body with each
minute that passed.
“I was told you can no longer connect with people you are meant to save,” the woman said in
a voice void of emotion.
“I’m afraid that’s true.”
She looked me in the eye. I could see the hope in hers. I could also see the desperation. “Are
you sure there isn’t even a glint of a vision or insight? A hazy dream or a persistent feeling that
nags at you to be heard?”
I thought about the dreams I’d been having lately. Dreams that were likely nothing more than
just that, dreams, but nevertheless had begun to pull at my soul the way my visions used to. I
knew these dreams had nothing to do with her son, but I had wondered if perhaps the dreams
were a portent of an awakening of the power I thought was gone forever.
“I really am very sorry. I know how important this is, but I no longer possess the ability to
connect the way I once could.” I looked away from eyes filled with hope. It was clear the woman
hadn’t given up despite my assurance that there really wasn’t anything I could do. I truly wanted
to help her find her missing child, but I just couldn’t.
“Maybe you can just try,” she insisted. “I understand that your visions cause you pain and
suffering, and from your viewpoint, my request now that you’ve finally found peace is likely
unreasonable, but I really am out of options. Without you, I have nothing. Please. Just try.”
During the past year, I had tried. Multiple times. This woman was not the only individual I’d
encountered who was seeking a lost loved one with what seemed at the time to be zero success.
There had been many times in the beginning that I’d given it everything I had, but where there
used to be visions and voices in my head, now there was silence.
I thought about that silence. I thought about my gift. I thought about the loss of that gift and
the likely reason behind that loss. My gift had come to me during the lowest point in my life. Val
was missing, and it looked unlikely that we’d find her. I was deeply traumatized when I realized
that I’d never see her again. I couldn’t bear the thought of never having the chance to tell her
everything that was in my heart, and in the moment when my pain and desperation became
unbearable, she was suddenly there in my head. While I was happy to have been given the
chance to connect with her one last time, her death hit me hard. Deep down, I knew that I’d
never really be happy again. And I hadn’t been. Not that I walked around in a state of misery all
the time, but my loss was always with me, so I guessed it was true that, until recently, I’d never
really experienced complete joy. And then Hank Houston came into my life. Not that his arrival
in town had freed me from my inner turmoil right away. We’d certainly had our issues, and in the
back of my mind, I knew he was destined to leave. But then, just over a year ago, he’d fully
committed to Alaska and to me, thereby ending my torment.
My visions had ended about the same time.
Landon Stanford, my friend and fellow search-and-rescue worker, believed that it had been
Houston’s commitment that had served as the catalyst that finally broke through the state of
deeply buried sorrow I’d been living with since I’d lost Val. He believed that since my gift had
been born from grief, it had lived in grief. It was the arrival of contentment and the loss of my
daily torment that had resulted in the loss of my gift. In the beginning, I hadn’t wanted to believe
that fate would demand such a price for my happiness, but after a year without visions, I’d begun
to realize that he might very well be right.
“Please,” she said in a quiet voice as tears streamed down her face. “Please just try. I know
you have your doubts, but you’d try if the missing child was your son.”
It was true. If the missing child were my son, I’d move heaven and earth to get to him.
“Okay. I’ll try, but please understand that I can’t make any promises. My ability to connect
was not one I asked for. It was thrust upon me during my greatest moment of pain. For reasons I
don’t fully understand, this ability left me as abruptly as it arrived.”
“I know. I’m just asking you to try.”
“I’ll need a photo of your son if you have one, and something of his as well. A piece of
clothing or perhaps something else he wore, such as a hat.”
She handed me a photo of a child with blond hair and blue eyes. He was a handsome young
man, and I remembered from the briefing that he had just turned ten. I studied the photo. The rest
of my team was out searching for the boy. I’d handed my search-and-rescue dog, Yukon, to one
of the other team members when I headed back to the dispatch station to grab some food and
water.
“I’m going to head upstairs to Jake’s apartment.” My brother-in-law, Jake Cartwright, owned
Neverland, the bar and grill that also served as a command post during search-and-rescue
missions. He lived upstairs with Jordan Fairchild, the team doctor. “My chances are much
increased if I have total isolation and quiet.”
“I understand. And thank you for trying.”
I told Sarge, Neverland’s cook and the team dispatcher, what I was doing, and then headed
toward the staircase. I thought about the search for the child, which began smoothly but grew
increasingly intense as time passed without uncovering a single clue to guide us in a direction.
The boy had only been missing for two hours when his mother first reached out to us. We
assumed he’d become disoriented but was still in the area. We figured he’d be found quickly.
Yukon and I, along with Houston and his dog, Kojak, were the first to arrive. Initially, we
weren’t overly concerned, but by the time two hours turned to four and the rest of the team
joined us, things became intense.
Once Jake arrived with his search-and-rescue dog, Sitka, and team member Wyatt Forester
showed up with his dog, Timber, the four dogs joined forces. The dogs were all experienced
search-and-rescue dogs and had an excellent record, but they were coming up empty this time. It
was at this point that team members Landon Stafford and Serena Walters showed up with their
dogs in training. In addition to the dogs and handlers on the ground, our helicopter pilot, Dani
Matthews, was in the air, along with Jordan Fairchild, the team doctor.
As I’d done hundreds of times in the past, I found a comfortable place to sit where my back
would be supported. I stared at the photo of the missing boy, committing his face to memory, and
then I closed my eyes and tried to reach out. In the past, if the individual I attempted to connect
with was open to my presence, I’d eventually be able to see them in my mind. Assuming the
victim was both alive and conscious, given enough time, I’d be able to see what they saw. That
would usually help the team to narrow in on a location and make a rescue much more likely. In
the beginning, these visions were a one-way sort of thing, but as time went by, I eventually
learned not to see my target but to communicate with them psychically. I could actually speak to
them with my mind, and if the energy was right, they could speak to me as well. Now, when I
closed my eyes, all I saw was darkness.
I thought about the woman waiting for me downstairs, and focused all my energy on the
image I’d committed to memory. I really couldn’t imagine what she was going through. I
remembered how painful it had been to lose Val, but she’d been an adult and a search-and-rescue
veteran. While I’d been terrified for her, deep down I clung to the idea that she’d know what to
do to save herself. Donny was only ten. If he were still alive, and that was a big if, he must be
terrified.
I took several deep breaths and tried to focus my mind. My desire was genuine, but as hard as
I tried to keep my thoughts clear for Donny and only Donny, my mind kept wandering to the
choice I felt in my gut that I may need to make one day. I thought about Landon’s theory that
Houston coming into my life and allowing me to be truly happy had been the catalyst to chase
my gift away. I thought about how difficult it had been to live with that gift and how much
happier and healthier I was now that I was free of the physical and mental burden of that gift. I
thought about Houston with his strong presence and gentle, encouraging smile. I thought about
how much I loved him. How much I wanted to marry him and maybe have his child one day. I
thought about our future life together and how happy I knew we would be, and then I thought
about the blond-haired child as he desperately clung to life. I couldn’t help but wonder if Landon
was right and my relationship with Houston was the reason I could no longer help those whose
lives depended on me finding them.
I thought about the people I’d been able to save or simply comfort by entering their mental
space during the darkest moments of their lives. I thought about how things would have turned
out differently had I not been able to do what I’d once been able to do. Was it selfish of me to
choose my happiness over helping others?
I wasn’t sure what I’d need to do to test Landon’s theory. Would I have to break up with
Houston? I didn’t think that was something I could do.
I opened my eyes and looked at Donny’s photo again. Shouldn’t I be willing to do anything
for him? I’d toyed with the idea of just pretending to break up with Houston as a way to trick fate
into giving my visions back to me, but fate was fate and not the sort to be tricked, no matter how
much I wished that were so.
After I’d given it my best for about twenty minutes, I prepared myself to head back
downstairs to tell the broken women waiting for me that, as predicted, my efforts hadn’t worked.
I really hated to be the one to take away the last hope this poor mother held, but I wasn’t sure
what I could do. As I neared the bottom of the stairs, she looked at me with such hope in her eyes
that I nearly broke down as I struggled for the words I knew must be delivered.
“They found him,” Sarge shouted. “Sitka found Donny.”
“Is he…” his mother asked.
“He’s cold and hungry and scared, and he might have a bit of frostbite, but he’s fine,” Sarge
shared. “Dani can’t land in the area where Donny was found, so Jake and the others are going to
carry him to Marsh Meadow.” Sarge looked directly at the mother. “Jake said that you should
meet them at the hospital in Fairbanks.”
Tears streamed down my face as I offered a prayer of gratitude that this boy would live,
despite my inability to fulfill what fate seemed to have destined for me.
Chapter 2
While I loved Alaska in the fall and looked forward to the annual Halloween fundraiser
hosted by my good friend, Harley Medford, I couldn’t help but feel anxious as the shorter days of
October served as a reminder that the endless nights of winter were just around the corner, and
with the endless nights came harder rescues and a greater loss of life.
“Earth to Harmony.” Landon waved a hand in front of my face, I assumed as a way of
gaining my attention.
“Sorry. I was distracted. What did you want?”
“Hot wings and fries.”
When I wasn’t saving lives with the Rescue Alaska Search and Rescue team, I worked as a
waitress at Neverland, the bar and grill where Landon was a daily visitor.
“I’ll let Sarge know.”
“Is there something on your mind?”
I hesitated. There was obviously something on my mind, and I knew Landon could sense my
angst, so simply smiling and telling him that everything was fine wasn’t going to fly. I supposed
I could make up a story about not sleeping well or female troubles that he’d likely buy, but the
truth of the matter was that I really needed someone to talk to. Landon was one of the few people
I could actually speak to about the silent battle I’d been having with myself for almost a year
now. “Chloe ran into Houston in Fairbanks.” Chloe Rivers, who owned a local diner, was one of
my best friends.
Landon tilted his head slightly. “Okay. I’m sensing there’s more to this story.”
“When Chloe ran into him, he was at a jewelry store.”
“And that has you worried because?”
“Chloe said that when she asked Houston why he was in town, he made up a story about
needing to have his watch repaired, but before Houston noticed Chloe, she observed him looking
at rings. Engagement rings.”
“Ah.” I could tell by the tone of the “ah” that Landon had picked up on the subtext of such an
act on Houston’s part. “And you’re afraid that you’ll need to make the decision you’ve been
putting off for the past year if Houston proposes.”
“Exactly.”
While the theory that Landon had come up with, which linked the loss of my powers to
Houston’s decision to commit to our relationship and me, hadn’t been put to the test, after almost
a year without my powers, I think Landon and I both believed this to be true. The real problem
was that the only way to test the theory was for me to break up with Houston, which was
something I really didn’t want to do. Since testing the theory didn’t seem like a viable option to
me, I allowed myself to enter a state of stasis, where I took each day as it came and hoped for the
best.
“What do I do?” I asked Landon. “If Houston proposes and I say yes and marry the man, then
the option to end things if I’m desperate and I really need to test the theory will no longer exist.
Not that I want to test the theory, mind you. I’m actually hoping that I’ll never have to. But deep
down, I guess it gives me a sense of comfort to know that it may at least be possible to regain
access to the visions if I really needed to.”
Landon leaned back in his chair. He took a moment to consider the question and then
answered. “It’s your life, Harm. You deserve to be happy. If you want to marry Houston, then
marry him. The Rescue Alaska Search and Rescue team is one of the best in the world. Our
success rate is unmatched. It’s been almost a year since you lost your powers, and we haven’t
lost a single subject.”
Landon was right. The team had been extremely lucky these past twelve months, but last year
had been the mildest winter in a century. I wanted to believe with all my heart that our success
rate would continue. I reasoned that I wouldn’t have to choose as long as the dogs were able to
find those we were tasked with finding.
As the days grew shorter and temperatures dropped, however, I knew our string of good luck
was bound to run out.
“Are you going to Harley’s Halloween fundraiser?” I asked Landon, completely changing the
subject to something less stressful.
“I plan to, unless, of course, I die of hunger first.”
“Your hot wings and fries,” I said, realizing that I had never put the order in. “I’ll go and tell
Sarge right now, but when I get back, you’re going to help me figure out a costume. I’ve been
wracking my mind, but so far, I haven’t come up with anything.”
“The Cleopatra costume you wore last year was nice.”
“I don’t know how I let you convince me that costume was a good idea. I was freezing the
whole time. This year, I’m thinking about dressing as a brown bear or maybe a gorilla.
Something warm.”
Landon smiled. “I’m not sure that a gorilla costume is the right choice considering the
Hollywood presence that is likely to be in attendance, but having said that, I’m sure you’ll be
adorable no matter how you dress.”
I reached forward and hugged Landon before heading to the kitchen to place his order.
Landon had been a good friend for many years. Other than Harley, whom I’d known since
childhood and confided in during a moment of intense indecision, he was the only one who knew
my darkest secret and deepest fear. I’d considered confiding in Jake, my best friend and only
family, but while he supported my right to choose my own path, I knew he’d never been a
hundred percent behind my relationship with Houston. I suspected I was afraid that if asked for
his opinion, he’d use the opportunity to convince me that my gift saved lives and therefore was
irreplaceable, even if that meant giving up the man I loved.
Not that Landon agreed with my assessment of Jake’s likely response. In fact, Landon had
tried on many occasions to convince me that Jake loved me, and even if he learned that it might
be my relationship with Houston that was behind the loss of my power, he’d still want me to be
happy.
I wanted to believe that, but I couldn’t fully convince myself.
By the time Landon’s hot wings and fries were delivered, a large group had wandered in, so
I’d shifted from worried rescue volunteer mode to busy waitress mode. I preferred heading out
on a rescue to taking orders and clearing tables, so I wasn’t all that upset when the call came in
requesting a rescue for a man who’d been reported missing by the friends he’d been backcountry
hiking with shortly after I’d served the large group.
I always brought my search-and-rescue dog, Yukon, to work with me so that he’d be ready
should a call come in, and Landon had his dog, Tundra, with him, so Landon, Tundra, Yukon,
and I set out to meet up with Jake, who had been running training exercises with Sitka when the
call came in.
“So what do we have?” I asked Jake once Landon and I arrived at the trailhead.
“Male subject. Twenty-seven. Goes by the name Hogie. Hogie had been out hiking with
friends when the group paused to take a break. Hogie left the group to take care of nature’s call,
but according to the man I spoke to,” Jake looked at his notes, “Jared Riverton, Hogie never
returned to the group. Two men, Jared and Leon, hiked back to the trailhead, hoping to find cell
service. They had to hike down the road a bit, but they were eventually able to call nine-one-one.
The emergency operator notified Houston, who called me. Three others, Craig, Keith, and
Samuel, stayed behind to look for Hogie.”
“Is Houston going to meet us here?”
“He was tied up with an armed robbery when I spoke to him, so he suggested we get started,
and he’d meet up with us when he could.”
“That’s the third armed robbery in two months,” Landon voiced.
Jake admitted that it was unusual for a town of our size, and I added that Houston felt certain
that the same pair of masked men had been responsible for all the robberies.
“If you follow this trail about two miles, you should come across the group looking for
Hogie. Why don’t the two of you take your dogs and get started. Wyatt is on his way with
Timber. I’ll wait for him to arrive, and then we’ll meet you.”
“Have you asked Dani to provide air support?”
“Dani had a charter to Anchorage today. If we haven’t found the subject by the time she
returns, she said she’d be happy to help.”
I knew the chances were that we’d find Hogie and return him to his friends well before Dani
returned. Odds were that the man had merely gotten turned around and had wandered off in the
wrong direction after taking care of his business. We had three fully trained search-and-rescue
dogs as well as one dog in training on the job, so I was confident that they’d find the man within
the hour. ...
We hope you are enjoying the book so far. To continue reading...
Copyright © 2026 All Rights Reserved
Please log in to recommend or discuss...
