Chapter Twenty-Four

In January, the Centaurs beat higher-ranked Carolina, lifting team spirits. Coach Wiebe praises standout performances from Troy, goalie Wyatt, and captain Ilya, whose line with Bood and Troy clicks. On the flight to Tampa, Ilya daydreams about Shane and the space they’ve taken to prepare for a deeper conversation.

Severe turbulence and a loud bang signal an engine issue, and the plane drops. Amid panic and reports of fire, Ilya, convinced they may crash, uses in-flight Wi‑Fi to send Shane Instagram messages: declarations of love, gratitude, and a promise that he’ll remain with Shane “safe in your heart.” He prays and vows not to waste his life if they survive.

The pilots land safely to cheers. Meanwhile, after Montreal’s loss, Shane reads Ilya’s messages on the team bus and learns from J.J. that the Centaurs landed safely. Shocked by what might have been, Shane feels anger at their secrecy and dread at nearly losing Ilya.

At the Tampa hotel, Ilya steps outside, rattled, and takes a furtive cigarette. Shane calls, then requests FaceTime. Seeing each other’s tears, they apologize for the scare, reaffirm that the messages were sincere, trade soft jokes, and confess how desperately they don’t want to lose one another.

Shane wishes he could drive to Tampa; Ilya urges him to rest and promises to reconnect. They end the call with I-love-yous. Ilya heads back inside, briefly considers checking on Troy—who sits alone despite Harris being on the trip—and chooses to sit with teammates, pouring beer as the adrenaline fades.