Marcus frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“It means you have a lot of power. You rely on it. Althea could make a powerful opponent miss three times before landing one clean shot.”

Marcus looked toward the ring.

“Why did she retire?”

Elena's smile disappeared.

“An injury.”

“What kind?”

“Complicated.”

“That's all you know?”

“That's all I'm going to tell you.”

Marcus leaned back.

“You're making her sound like some kind of legend.”

“No. I'm telling you she earned respect long before you knew her name.”

The words settled between them.

Marcus looked down at his hands.

He had spent years becoming someone people recognized.

Althea had apparently spent years becoming someone people remembered.

There was a difference.

And he was beginning to understand it.

But understanding something and accepting it were not the same.

THE LESSON NO ONE EXPECTED

The first time Marcus saw Althea move like a fighter, it happened because Ben Keller lost his balance.

It was a Tuesday afternoon.

The gym was crowded. The beginner boxing class had just finished, and the amateur team was preparing for sparring.

Ben was working with another young fighter named Tyler Grant.

Tyler was eighteen, broad-shouldered, and aggressive. He had joined Crownline only four months earlier, but he already believed he was destined to become a professional.

Ben was twenty-one.

He had less natural power, less confidence, and considerably less experience.

He also had a habit of stepping backward in straight lines.

Elena had been correcting him for weeks.

“Don't retreat like you're walking away from a bus,” she called from outside the ring. “Angle out. Make him turn.”

Ben nodded.

Tyler moved forward.

Ben stepped back.

Again.

“Angle!” Elena shouted.

Ben tried to pivot, but his rear foot crossed behind his lead foot. His balance shifted.

Tyler threw a wide right hand.

Ben stumbled into the ropes.

The punch missed his head, but the force of Tyler's movement carried both fighters toward the corner.

“Break!” Elena shouted.

Tyler continued forward.

Ben's foot caught beneath the bottom rope.

His knee twisted awkwardly.

Althea was passing the open ring entrance with a folded stack of towels.

She heard the change in the sound before she saw what happened.

The impact of a fighter falling against the ropes was different from the rhythm of ordinary sparring.

She looked up.

Ben was on one knee.

Tyler was still moving toward him.

Althea dropped the towels onto a nearby bench.

“Stop.”

Her voice was not loud.

But it cut through the room.

Tyler froze.

Elena stepped between the fighters.

“Everybody back.”

Ben was breathing hard.

“I'm okay,” he said.

“Don't move yet,” Elena replied.

Althea approached the ring.

“Which knee?”

Ben looked at her.

“Right.”

“Can you straighten it?”

“I think so.”

“Don't force it.”

Elena glanced at Althea.

“Could you get the ice pack from the first-aid station?”

Althea nodded.

She was about to turn when Ben attempted to stand.

His knee buckled.

He grabbed the middle rope.

Althea returned immediately.

“Stay down.”

Ben's face had gone pale.

“I don't want to stop.”

“That's not the question.”

She crouched beside the ring.

“Can you feel your foot?”

“Yes.”

“Any numbness?”

“No.”

“Sharp pain?”

“Mostly when I put weight on it.”

Althea nodded.

“Then you don't put weight on it.”

Tyler stood several feet away, looking embarrassed.

“I didn't mean to do that.”

Elena turned toward him.

“I know. But you were told to break.”

“I thought he was still defending.”

“He was on the ropes and tangled. You don't keep throwing.”

Tyler lowered his eyes.

Althea looked at Ben.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

“I stepped back.”

“Why?”

“He kept coming.”

“So you gave him ground.”

Ben nodded.

“Then I crossed my feet.”

“What happened after that?”

“I lost balance.”

“Good.”

Ben blinked.

“Good?”

“Now we know what to fix.”

Elena smiled slightly.

“Let's get him checked.”

They helped Ben out of the ring and onto a bench.

Althea brought the ice pack.

For the next several minutes, she remained nearby, quietly checking that Ben followed Elena's instructions.

Marcus entered the training area halfway through the process.

He had just finished a sponsor interview in the upstairs office.

He looked at the gathering around Ben.

“What happened?”

“Twisted knee,” Elena said.

Marcus glanced at Tyler.

“You dropped him?”

Tyler shook his head.

“He got caught in the ropes.”

Marcus looked toward Ben.

“That's why you need to stop backing straight up.”

Ben's face tightened.

“I know.”

Marcus shrugged.

“Then stop doing it.”

Althea placed the ice pack against Ben's knee.

“Not now, Marcus.”

He turned toward her.

“What?”

“He needs to settle down.”

“I'm giving him advice.”

“Not useful advice.”

Marcus stared.

Elena glanced at the two of them.

“Marcus, give him a minute.”

He raised both hands.

“Fine.”

He walked toward the heavy bags.

Althea waited until his back was turned.

Then she spoke quietly to Ben.

“When you step backward, what are you trying to protect?”