Chapter 220
Chapter 220
Elora
The quintuple Salchow. A jump so difficult, so far beyond the realm of human capability, that it exists only in legend. No one has ever landed it in competition. Most coaches consider it a fool's errand, a theoretical exercise with no practical application.
But as I complete the second rotation, my body still tight and controlled, I feel the reserves of power I have left—and I know.
I can do this.
The thought should terrify me. It should make me pull back, play it safe, land the quad and secure my score.
But I don't.
Because in this moment, I'm not skating for points. I'm not skating to win.
I'm skating to find out what I'm capable of. To push past every boundary I've ever known and see how far I can go.
The third rotation comes. My body is a spinning blur, the world around me reduced to streaks of color and light.
The fourth rotation. The other skaters are on their feet now, their faces frozen in disbelief.
The crowd is screaming, a cacophony of voices that blends into a single roar.
"FUCK! She's going for FIVE!"
"No way—she can't—"
"IS SHE INSANE?!"
I block it all out. Let the momentum carry me, let my body do what it was trained to do.
The fifth rotation.
I'm at my absolute limit now, every ounce of strength I have left channeled into holding my form, keeping my axis tight, preparing for the landing.
And then—
I'm down.
The blade of my skate hits the ice with a sharp, clean crack, and I hold the landing, my free leg extended behind me, my arms spread wide.
For a heartbeat, there's nothing but silence.
Then the arena explodes.
The crowd is on its feet, screaming, crying, their voices a tidal wave of sound that crashes over me. The judges are out of their seats, their faces stunned, their hands gesturing wildly as they shout at each other.
But I can't stop. Not yet.
I finish the program, every remaining element executed with the same precision and artistry as the first. By the time I strike my final pose, the music fading into silence, I'm shaking—not from exhaustion, but from the sheer, overwhelming realization of what I've just done.
The applause is deafening.
I skate to the edge of the rink, barely able to process the faces around me. The other skaters are staring at me with expressions that range from awe to disbelief, their earlier mockery completely forgotten.
The announcer's voice cuts through the noise, trembling with emotion.
"Ladies and gentlemen… we are witnessing history."
---
I sit in the kiss-and-cry area, my hands clasped tightly in my lap as I wait for my scores. My heart is pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat, and I can't stop replaying the jump in my mind.
I landed it. I actually landed it.
The head judge rises from his seat, his hands shaking as he holds the microphone.
"Miss Frost," he begins, his voice unsteady. "Your total score for the free skate is… 167.53."
The number doesn't register at first. I stare at the screen, my brain struggling to process the digits flashing in front of me.
"Combined with your short program score," the judge continues, "your total is 236.47."
A pause.
"You have won the gold medal."
The words hit me like a freight train.
Gold.
I won.
The crowd erupts again, and this time I can't hold it back. The tears come in a rush, hot and unstoppable, and I bury my face in my hands as my body shakes with sobs.
Ten years. Ten years of training, of fighting, of clawing my way out of the darkness. Ten years of being told I wasn't good enough, that I didn't belong, that I'd never make it.
And now—
I'm the fucking champion.
I leap to my feet, my hands flying to my mouth as I let out a scream of pure, unfiltered joy.
"I'M THE CHAMPION! I'M THE FUCKING CHAMPION!"
The other skaters are applauding now, their earlier hostility replaced by genuine respect. Even Yuki and Chen Wei are smiling, their heads nodding in acknowledgment.
I look up at the stands, and my gaze finds Marina first. She's crying, her hands pressed to her mouth, and when our eyes meet, she mouths two words:
I'm proud.
Then I see my father, his face wet with tears as he claps so hard his hands must hurt.
And Cade—
Cade is grinning, his expression fierce and proud, and when he catches my eye, he raises his fist in a silent salute.
I collapse back into my seat, my chest heaving, my entire body trembling with the weight of what I've just accomplished.
This is it.
This is everything I've ever fought for.
And I did it.