The world as we know it ended 209 years ago. From a desert wasteland springs a single kingdom, ruled by a tyrannical King and trapped in an endless war against the shadowy desert warriors. As a desperate bid to save what remains of humanity, society has been split into two distinct classes, nicknamed the Court and the Commons. For an oppressed population on the brink of revolution, a common thief could be the last hope. Up until now, Kay has survived by her wits alone. Reckless and impulsive, wanted by the King's guard, Kay has become known as the Runner. Using the city's rooftops as her personal domain, she manages to keep one step ahead of the King with one hand buried in the purses of the courtiers. Driven by the plight of the commoners and the unjust death of her family, Kay seizes the chance to graduate from small-time thievery to full-scale rebellion. Her opportunity comes in the form of Will, a wealthy ex-soldier with a dark past. Plucked from the streets and thrown into the shimmering palace court, Kay must use her every strength to blend into a world where she doesn't belong, closer to the enemy than she ever thought she would be.

Brayden's life is a beautiful disaster. After finally being adopted by a wealthy woman and her family, his entire life is turned upside down. The New Yorker boy who's only lived in small one-bedroom apartments and tiny houses is now living in a Barrington, Rhode Island mansion. The boy who has never walked inside an actual school is now attending a private charter academy. The boy who has always been a nobody is now a somebody, but the heart wrenching experiences of his childhood follow him day by day as he lives his new life. On the other hand, Collie's life is perfect. Being beautiful, rich, and popular was an easy job to say the least. She never dealt with scarce food supply, financial issues, or abandonment, which is everything Brayden has struggled with throughout his life. To anyone, Collie had it all. When Brayden suddenly turns up at Constance PCA, it was almost crush at first sight for Collie. A budding romance ignites, something that is forbidden due to the hatred of Brayden's new sister, Ursanne, but as the two grow as a couple, Collie forces her way into the secrets of Brayden Palmer's life, the secrets he calls his Splinters.