ADRIANNA’S POV

About a year ago, before my father sold me off to Alpha Hermes, I went to a faraway market to pickpocket once. I hadn’t eaten for two days straight. I was so desperate I could have eaten from the gutter.

The economy was facing a steep downturn at the time. As a result, there weren’t many people at the markets and shopping malls nearby, which led me to venture further to the faraway market. Finding someone to lift their purse or wallet was hard—one of the hardest days since I started pickpocketing.

I couldn’t bear the hunger and frustration anymore. My stomach growled so violently I felt the...