CHAPTER 32
Round One: The Calculated Barrage
Finn dropped into the pit, his movements fluid and practiced. He wore standard black fighting shorts and light sparring gloves, a stark contrast to Lauren’s minimalist wraps. His expression was grim, a silent apology in his eyes that Lauren utterly ignored. She met him in the center, her stance low, balanced, and utterly devoid of the usual pre-fight theatrics.
The referee, a stern-faced veteran, barked out the instructions: “Combatants, acknowledge the rules. Three rounds. No lethal strikes. Points for clean hits, knockdowns, and effective incapacitation. First one to fifteen points, or best of three rounds wins. Ready?”
Lauren and Finn gave curt nods.
“Fight!”
Lauren exploded forward but it wasn’t the wild, emotional charge of her early
