They gave her a new name, a new home, and a death sentence. Taken off the streets of Scab City as an 'expendable pawn', Runa is faced with the ever-present threat of death. She was smart for the streets, but in this hostile environment, no longer the smartest in the room. Things are hardly ever as simple as they appear. Unfortunately for her, she finds herself in the main line of Velmonta's household, where external forces seek to claim her spot as successor candidate. Even beyond the looming succession ceremony, she must navigate past the plots of shadowy figures in the background. And now, in this lion's den, she must rely on luck, foresight, and performance just to survive. All this with something crucial to protect. Most of all, she has a personal debt to fulfil with Emperor Leander IV, who abandoned her and everyone else in the Lower District. Despite hating the hypocrisy of the nobles, she's forced to emulate it. What does it mean to survive? In a world where even the church is nothing more than a construct, does true morality even exist? The game is rigged, and the winners are killers. But some debts can only be paid in blood. Updates: Tuesdays and Saturdays. Occasional extra releases :P Posted on Wattpad, Quotev, and ScribbleHub. If it's anywhere else, it's stolen. Cover Art: commissioned from sty.recondite