The next few days were a masterclass in avoidance. Ivy, realizing that Silas was actively hunting for "Joe," adjusted her schedule to be even more erratic. She arrived at the arena at 4:00 AM to prep the gear and vanished before the first light hit the ice. She took her breaks in the crawlspaces above the locker rooms, watching the team through the ventilation grates like a gargoyle.
She saw Silas looking for her. She saw the way his eyes constantly flicked toward the equipment cage, his posture stiff and expectant. It was a dizzying rush of power and terror; she was the most important person in his world, and he didn't even know her name was Ivy.
Silas, meanwhile, was starting to look like a man possessed. He stopped hanging out with his teammates after practice, instead lingering in th
