Powerless

Paedyn is one of the two protagonists and narrators of Powerless. At the beginning of the story, she is an 18-year-old woman who has been living in the slums for five years. She and her best friend, Adena, live in a makeshift shelter that they call the Fort, and they make a living by stealing food and other supplies in Loot Alley. Before that, Paedyn grew up in a wealthier part of town and was raised by her father, a Healer named Adam Gray, after her mother died of illness. When her father was murdered because of his ties with the Resistance, Paedyn fled and found herself homeless. Her only keepsakes of her former life are her father’s dagger and ring.

Paedyn is described as very beautiful, with “a cascade of messy, silver waves” and eyes “the subtle shade of a forget-me-not” (17, 45). She is clever, headstrong, and confident, and she does not hesitate to stand up for herself or people she cares about. Her honesty often puts her at risk in social situations, but both Kai and Kitt find it refreshing and fascinating. Paedyn is an Ordinary, like her mother. Although she does not possess any supernatural abilities, her father has taught her to defend herself physically and emotionally to survive in an Elite-dominated world.