LOGINLucian POVThe bright white glare of the press room spotlights hit my face the moment Orion pushed the door open. There were microphones from ten global networks clamped to the long wooden table at the front of the stage. The room was packed tight, a sea of reporters jammed shoulder-to-shoulder, their fingers hovering over laptops and digital recorders. The air felt thick, hot, and heavy with the scent of coffee and anticipation.Every single seat was taken. People were standing against the concrete walls, their credentials hanging from black lanyards around their necks. The noise inside was a low rumble of voices. Everyone was talking over one another to predict what we were about to say.Orion kept his hand on the small of my back. He guided me through the aisle between the rows of chairs. His left arm was completel
Lucian POVThe big doors of the visitor locker room shook on their hinges before we even got to them. Inside, the music was really loud, the bass was shaking the walls, it was like a heartbeat that matched the pounding in my head.Arthur opened the doors wide.A big wave of heat, old sweat, and cheap alcohol smell hit me in the face. The room was a mess of white jerseys, wet hair, and plastic goggles. Steam was rising from the back showers, mixing with the mist of champagne that people were spraying everywhere."Move out of the way! Clear a path!"Miller used his body to push a trash can out of the way. He did not look at the media people or the team staff, he just looked at me. He put his hand under my arm, his gri
Orion POVThe heavy silver base of the cup left my hand. I felt a sudden jolt of pain shoot down my neck. My left shoulder was a mess under my wet jersey. The bone was out of place, pressing against the edge of my gear. I didn't care. The red light behind the net was still shining in my eyes, a color against the gray slush.We won.Lucian was standing in the center of the flashing lights, his thick hockey gloves gripping the handles. Sweat was over his visor, making the plastic look dirty. He looked small under the silver bowl, his body bent forward to hold the cup and his big belly. The metal shield under his uniform was bulging against his waist, protecting our pup.The crowd of twenty thousand people was hitting the glass barriers, making a vibration under my feet. White towels were flying from the balcony seats, cutting through the lights of the arena. Our teammates were around us, a loud and chaotic wall of white and blue, their sticks banging the ice in a loud roar.I took two s
Lucian POVThe black puck was sitting in the net. Everything was still for a second. Nobody was moving. The Boston goalie was still down on the ice, his head bent forward. Then, the red light behind the net turned on.The whole arena went crazy.It was so loud that my teeth were shaking. A thousand people were stomping their feet on the floor. White towels were flying everywhere, falling from the seats like snow.I fell to my knees. My stick slipped out of my hands. Hit the ice. I was breathing hard, trying to catch my breath. It felt hot under my helmet. I was totally exhausted. Then, I got a huge rush of energy."You did it!"One of my teammates, our defenseman, came running up to me. He had gotten hurt a minute before, but he did not care now. He put his arms around me. Pulled me into a big hug. We slid across the ice together.Then, all the other guys on my team started piling on. They all came off the bench at the time. Helmets were flying everywhere. Gloves were over the ice."C
Lucian POVI felt the crash all the way through my skates. It was a wet sound that did not belong on the ice. I knew something was wrong before I even turned my head. The smell of Orion's pain hit me like a punch to the gut. His strength was... All I could feel was his distress. My body wanted to stop and go back to him. Every part of me told me to drop my stick and fight the man who hurt him.Then I heard his voice. It was a command that made me keep moving."Go."I did not look back. I knew that if I did, the other team would catch up to me. The puck was rolling on the ice. It looked like it was going to slip away. I dropped my hips. Got low, trying to keep my balance. My stomach felt heavy. My muscles had to work harder to keep me upright. I reached out with my stick. Gently touched the puck. I did not hit it hard. I let my stick absorb the vibration as the puck settled against the blade.There were fifteen seconds left on the clock. The numbers were big and red. They seemed to be
Orion POVThe ammonia pad really hurt my nostrils. I jerked my head back and threw the paper strip on the floor of the locker room tunnel. My lungs felt like they were burning. The break between periods was way too short. My muscles were getting stiff; my thighs felt like rocks.I had twenty minutes left to finish this game. Just twenty minutes.Lucian was standing by the ice gate, leaning his head against the metal post. He was breathing fast; his chest moved up and down, but not very much. I could see sweat dripping from his nose onto his shield. The smell of vanilla was still there, hidden under raw metal and old rink water. He was getting tired, but he still kept a tight grip on his stick."Lines are out," Arthur said, his voice very hoarse from yelling at the crowd. He stopped in front of us with his hands on his hips, no longer looking down at his clipboard. "This is it, we have no plans. You have to give it your all. If you see an opening, you take it. Orion, watch their defens
Lucian POVThe TV screen in the corner was still on. My face was frozen on the screen, a picture from a draft camp that felt like it was from another lifetime. Nobody was moving. The only sound was the ventilation system humming in the background.Miller's hand was still up, his finger pointing at
Lucian POVThe tape snapped as I pulled it tight around the shin guard. I tore the end with my teeth, spitting the clear plastic onto the rubber floor tiles. Around me, the room was a storm of noise. Steel skate blades scraped over the floor mats. Heavy shoulder pads banged against wooden locker fr
Orion POVThe locker room door shut loudly behind me. The noise from the hallway was muffled. Music from the team celebration was a faint thud through the cinderblock wall. I dropped my gear bag on the floor. The strap left a dark sweat mark on my shirt.Lucian stood by the sink. His hands were und
Orion POVThe black rubber disc rolled flat against my blade. Lucian's pass had no spin, a pass right on the tape. He had twisted his whole body mid-air, a feed that left three Titans players skating into their own teammates.I didn't waste time looking.I dragged the puck back, shifting my weight







