an'

ty when I passed it,

ow dominance sharpens perception. How silence amplifies the things no one else notic

head. Just artificial lighting humming above and the sterility of recycled air. But the s

walked to the next junction, paused by one of the reinforced columns, and leaned

asn

e which. Arden hadn't looked back in the ring. He never looked back. He wore stillness like armor, sile

we

t been random. Instinct doesn't

re he was.

stricte

clearanc

ant tech

ing coi

back. Not rushed. Not slow. Purposeful.

followed it anyway, eyes tracing the biometric panels and security nodes lining the c

ne else's clearance... or he wa

aw f

t the edge of the frame, sealed by the pressurized

s visual feed. I had the authority. But that would creat

do

ought he was hiding something, he'd protect it. A

o

t

m behind. Light, careles

cou

tablet. "You're needed in the we

my expression. His posture straigh

look at h

ted, isn't it? Don't tell me you're finally getting

just enough for h

shu

rt

n wait,"

vant; too observant sometimes. His gaze drifte

I noti

n't a

rectly inter

hate being the messenger between pissed

don'

g under his breath but

stening again. Nothing. No movement inside the med

was

where he'

avoided the crowds, the cafeterias, the rec wings. He mov

ow, I don't

mo

ed through this junction unless they were instructors or top ranks avoi

o cams in the old access points, they'd never bot

e the training rings. From here, you could see eve

stocked, med bots cleaning blood traces from earlier rounds. Farther down

one I was

tense.

e. It's the art of ch

inutes

i

gh

t. I didn't move right away. The figure that emerged didn't look at me. D

e, walking silently. Not a glance to

o

d him, not close enough to be obvious, not far

s time of day. The stairwell split at the next floor, one path leading to sate

se the

rest

oll

ached the bottom

ift in his breathing. The barely-there change in posture. The way h

n't sp

n't sl

d pretending I

arring rooms. No soundproofing. No windows. No c

pped i

let the door

settled

. Just angled his head slightly, eyes fl

do you

. Not hostile

letting the distance close while still givin

tion. Jus

didn't flicker.

ost s

arance for that win

her d

loser. His

suppressant,"

dn't break.

like

in his throat. B

l. "You're burning t

nce

little made it past whatever restraint he'd bu

w I knew. That t

touching, not crowding.

ll," I said. "B

dn't

, just out of reach.

enough for anyone else

he said, voice low

eeting his eyes. "I don't wast

what

truth sit

iting to give

pils n

eld his gaze until he was forced to cho

n't re

o

ack, not in concessio

dn't

was

rd the door, but paused

id, "If you're going to li

I l

the silence

he ai

he didn't hide