CHAPTER 75

The next morning, Maxine stood, her muscles tense to the limit, in the yard of training, facing Adam-the guy she could usually count on to best her after all these years. The sun just crested, bleeding into the wall-wells early-conditions pleasantly golden fair over the ground, casting long shadows on it. In a normal climate, which she had learned to appreciate through the many years of practice, this would be time for some peace of mind, pushing herself as much as possible while settling down to focus on bettering one's skills alone. Today, however, her thoughts ran elsewhere-distracted and unsteady.

Adam put his hands up to his face, getting ready for round two. "Ready?" he asked steadily and calmly as ever.

Maxine nodded curtly, bobbing on the balls of her feet as she launched herself into the first hit. Her body remembered the movements well, but her mind was elsewhere.

She saw them at the corner of her eye-Alph and Alpha Delton's daughter. It was as they were strolling in the gar