Shadewood but everything changes, and everything dies

Themis took a deep breath. After a moment, she swayed, just enough to press her shoulder to Vorilye’s for support.

The place I was born.. She swallowed.

It was castes. There was nobility, peasantry, and me. Indentured servitude. I never had a chance. The guardsmen never allowed it. Her face curved into a sneer.

My next name was rat. I remember them yelling it at me during my work, I remember them laughing at me when I struggled and refusing to help. I never saw the nobility, never even knew about any leadership. It hadn’t been her duty, during the Insurgence.

Then, I was stupid. Stupid enough to think I had a chance of running for it and actually making it. I didn’t get far. They made sure I wouldn’t be able to run again. Her sneer turned rueful.

They failed. Just made it hurt. She said, flexing the toes on her scarred leg.

Theyre all dead now. The entire thing. Nobles, guardsmen, dead. Insurgency killed off the nobles, then everyone scattered to the winds. Except me. I somehow got roped into another pack. Themis drew a deep breath.

That was the last name I got from someone else until I arrived here. They named me Belladonna. And she had been poison ever since.