The lobby of the arena was bustling with athletes, some on their way to practice, others flushed from their exertions. I headed for the rink, went through the doors?—
Andstopped.
Luka stood alone beside the boards, one hand resting against the barrier while he looked out across the empty ice. I recognized the expression in a heartbeat. Every skater knew that place, the moment before competition when you stopped seeing the rink and started seeing the program.
His head lifted.
Our eyes met.
Surprise crossed his face before he could hide it, but it was gone a second later. The change was so fast most people wouldn’t have noticed.
I’d started noticing.
For a moment neither of us moved.
I should have nodded and kept walking.
Except I found myself wanting another glimpse behind the walls. Another chance to see what happened when Luka forgot to be careful.
My feet had already started moving when voices echoed across the rink.
“Luka!”
Several athletes in Velkaryan jackets emerged from the opposite corridor.
Luka’s posture straightened. Whatever I’d been seeing a moment earlier vanished behind the version of himself everyone else seemed to get. One of the athletes clapped him on the shoulder, and he answered. By the time they steered him down the corridor, he hadn't looked back once.
I remained where I was for another second, watching them go.
Then I headed for the locker rooms.
The disappointing part wasn’t missing the conversation.
It was realizing I’d wanted one.
Media 3
VELKARYA’S RISING PAIR CONTINUES QUIET CLIMB
Sports Channel Panel Discussion
Host:
“They’ve become one of the most reliable pairs in the field.”
Analyst 1:
“The technical consistency is remarkable. You rarely see obvious mistakes from them.”
Analyst 2:
“And Davorin in particular is fascinating because we know almost nothing about him.”
Host:
“Not exactly a media favorite.”
Analyst 2:
