Corinna rubbed at where the corded sandals chaffed her ankles raw. They were too tight, and she was growing too fast despite the scarce times. Before her home burned down and her parents were mere memories, Ma had started twisting cord and tanning hide to fit her growing children with larger shoes. She never finished. Making matters worse, Corinna had only been in the city a week and already her stomach was aching with hunger. No confidence to steal bread with, no reserve of energy to even make an escape doable. Corinna bent down and loosened her sandals in the narrow alleyway reeking of urine and rat droppings. At least the sun no longer cooked the smell into a putrid steam. Back against the wall, she slid down and looked past the shingles at the thin strip of night.
The stars burned int
