Zalaia's real birth parents are not as awful as you may think they were. They are worse.
She was an unplanned child as a result of a fling between two reckless adults. When her mother realized she was having a child, it was too late to stop the process. She was given up as soon as possible. Her parents never told the rest of the family about her. Avoiding any other responsibility, they effectively disappeared from the region. There big reason was that a child complicates their lifestyle and their words were 'we can't possibly take care of her in our state'.
Zal has never known family like those around her. Her social workers did her best to make sure she was cared for. They did her best to try and find her suitable foster families but failed multiple times. What makes matters worse is that she does have a blood family that would have taken care of her. Zal doesn't know she's cousins with Lyra @kotoyin who's uncle is Zal's father, but that day will come eventually.
For now, Zal resents her blood parents with unsatisfied fury.










