Chapter 31

The guards outside the meeting room addressed Talin by performing a salute when she emerged through the door. They'd do so every time they'd see her, and in turn, she'd push her gaze past them, as if they were part of the walls. It was their job to be unheard and unnoticed when there were no immediate threats. It was her job to be a slab of granite, always tough, and perpetually resistant.

The behavior wasn't learned. To her instructor's glee, Talin had shown a natural inclination...