Page 53 of The Forbidden Center

“Yes.”

That surprises me enough to turn around.

She lifts one eyebrow.

I turn back to Maren. “Grip. Feet. Which shoulder he loads. Where his winger is cheating. Whether he’s trying to win it clean or just make sure I don’t.”

“That is before the puck drops.”

“That’s when most of it happens.”

Roman’s voice comes from behind her. “Don’t teach her this.”

He has found skates. Brick has not, and leans over the bench rail with a coffee he absolutely didn’t bring for anybody else.

“You volunteering?”

“I heard you needed opposition.”

“You heard I had an audience.”

“Same thing for you.”

He steps on and circles once before taking the other side of the dot.

Astrid looks from him to me. “What is he showing you?”

Roman points his stick at her. “Nothing.”

“Top hand’s too far over,” I say. “He wants his backhand.”

Roman moves it.

“Now he wants me to think he wants his backhand.”

“Shut up.”

“See how educational this is?”

Maren drops the puck.

Roman goes backhand anyway.

I don’t try to beat his stick. I tie it up, turn my left skate, and kick the puck behind me into the space where Mack would be in a game.

It slides alone across the circle.

Astrid watches it stop.

“You did not win it with the stick.”

“I won possession. Different thing.”

Roman straightens. “There’s nobody there.”

“In a game there is.”

“Convenient imaginary teammate.”