**Aria's POV**

Supervised activities, it turned out, were about as fun as they sounded. Which is to say, not at all.

My new shadow was a grim-faced instructor named Commander Hayes, who had apparently been tasked with making sure I didn't so much as sneeze without proper authorization. He followed me everywhere—to classes, to meals, to training—with the enthusiasm of someone assigned to watch paint dry.

"This is ridiculous," I muttered as we walked to morning combat practice, Hayes ...