Rory was absent from training the next day. I hoped she was out of the pack altogether, but I'd never been the lucky sort. Jun was gone as well. In his place stood a shorter, stocky female with dark brown skin and eyes so dark they were almost black.

Unlike Jun and his fancy joggers, she wore the same gear we did, but her expression was foreboding as she examined the class. Her gaze fell on me for a brief second but passed over before coming back to me.

"You are Aspen?"

I ...