Unnoticed, dusk had already fallen. Lost in his trance, Ethan Blake hadn’t realized how much time had passed.
Just then, voices drifted over. A group of young men and women in taekwondo uniforms walked toward him. Two men and three women—leading them was a tall, well-built man with a striking face.
“Alice,” the tall man said with a smile, “I watched your sparring today. Your technique’s coming along nicely. With talent like yours, it’s only a matter of time before you surpass me.”
The girl called Alice smiled at the praise. “Owen, you flatter me. You earned your black belt three years ago. Who knows when I’ll ever reach that level.”
As she spoke, her gaze drifted ahead—toward a lone figure sitting on the ground, and then…
Her eyes widened. She gasped. “Look! The fish in the pond—”
Ev
