Chapter Eighteen

After arriving in Vancouver, Ilya Rozanov takes a solitary night walk to quiet his anxiety and claustrophobia from travel. He buys cigarettes and smokes by the harbor, soothed by thoughts of Shane’s disapproval and his own resolve to get better. Returning to the hotel, he sees Troy Barrett with a bag clearly holding liquor but, exhausted and feeling hypocritical, decides not to intervene.

In the morning, Ilya joins Wyatt and Bood at the team breakfast, casually probing whether anyone has seen Troy. Concerned, he heads through the lobby where Curtis Barrett, loudly introducing himself as Troy’s father, corners him. Put off by Curtis’s demeanor, Ilya buys a Gatorade and goes to Troy’s room.

Ilya finds Troy alone, hungover, and surrounded by the evidence: a nearly empty bottle of cheap vodka. Annoyed but pragmatic, Ilya orders Troy to hydrate and skip the optional practice, emphasizing that this cannot become a habit with a game that night. When Troy, ashamed and close to tears, asks if Ilya will tell Coach Wiebe, Ilya warns him but promises not to report it this time.

Ilya then informs Troy that Curtis is in the lobby. Though wary of Troy’s condition, Ilya respects Troy’s decision to handle his father himself. Before leaving, Ilya acknowledges how difficult fathers can be, recognizing a shared pain. He exits resolved to balance accountability with empathy as captain.