Flora was twelve when she first crossed the Arctic Circle on her father's whaling ship. Now she is returning to the frozen seas as the head of her own exploration expedition. Jakob was raised in Manhattan, but his yearning for new horizons leads him to the Arctic as part of a rival expedition. But when he and Flora meet, all thoughts of science and exploration give way before a sudden, all-consuming love. But, after one more glorious summer, Jakob joins his leader on an extended trip into the interior. Neither of them ever return.