Chapter 32 Nevelyn Tin’vori

Two days passed. Every minute was excruciating, even with Garth leaving her notes and doing his best to make her laugh. Nevelyn felt physically ill as she waited for some word of her brother's fate. Ren Monroe was too cautious to pass her a note, and Nevelyn cursed the girl for it. Hated her for it. A brief but consuming anger that ran deep through every muscle and bone.

Until the third morning.

Well before dawn, Nevelyn walked out to the square. Vega was there. Perched on the building just as Ren had promised. She let out a triumphant shout that startled a few birds into flight. Dahvid had done it. He'd actually won his gauntlet. Ren had clearly been waiting for confirmation that Dahvid's newly acquired army was on the move. If she sent Vega, it meant Dahvid would be in Nostra soon—in striking distance of the Brood estate. Nevelyn couldn't believe how quickly the moment had arrived. She felt a bit breathless as she stalked back down the alleyway.

Inside, the black dress was waiting for her. She folded it neatly into a large box. She had one stop to make before heading to work and little time to make it. When she had all her materials ready, she set out. Not for the opera house—but for Kersey's apartment.

The lights of the alley were dim. There was no sign of movement inside the apartment or inside the larger home to which it was attached. Nevelyn crept down the stairs. The door was bolted, but there weren't any extra enchantments barring entry. Nevelyn performed a practiced spell and heard a satisfying click.

Inside was quiet. The windows kept out a great deal of noise. There was a snoring sound from the back bedroom. Nevelyn tiptoed forward. The occasional creak would have her freezing in place, but she made a mostly silent path through the home. Inside Kersey's room, she began her search—always listening for that slight snoring in the dark shadows of the bed.

She found what she was looking for in the far corner of the room. There was a basket on the ground, full of the prize Nevelyn sought. Small waxway candles. Cut down perfectly to size. Each one was just large enough to whisk a practiced traveler from her home and to the opera house she loved more than anything else. Nevelyn paused to listen, making sure Kersey was still asleep. When she was certain, she started placing the real waxway candles into a satchel, one by one. Then she carefully replaced them with the false ones she'd crafted.

There was a slight hitch in Kersey's breathing. Nevelyn held still for a moment, then positioned the basket back in the corner. She tiptoed out of the room, catching one bad board as she went. Her breathing was reduced to soft, wheezing gasps. She'd never done anything so nerve-racking in her life. She'd paused at the door, gathering herself, when a voice echoed out of the dark.

"Nan?"

Kersey was standing at the entrance to her bedroom. Nevelyn cursed as she turned, as the old lady took in the strange impossibility of a colleague inside her home. Without permission no less. Nevelyn's reaction was all instinct. She turned her necklace charm to the darker side. Her secret magic pulsed outward. She cast the opposite spell that she'd used on Edna.

Ignore me. Do not behold me. Forget I was ever here.

Kersey stumbled back from the force of the magic. Nevelyn felt guilty as the old woman's eyes became unfocused. Kersey stared blankly at the wall. Nevelyn turned, made quick work of the door, and shut it behind her. She sprinted up the stairs, more terrified with each step, but knew when she rounded the corner that it had worked. Kersey would think she'd seen something. Maybe even someone. But when she went to check her door, she'd find it locked. There would be no sign of theft. Maybe it had all been a strange dream.

A giddy smile broke out on Nevelyn's face. Dahvid was not the only capable sibling after all. Her next challenge would be more difficult. She'd gotten rid of Edna. Kersey would be gone all morning. Nevelyn guessed that the old woman would attempt her normal waxway travel. She'd be confused when the candle didn't work. She'd likely light a second candle, maybe even a third. Each one would burn its way to nothing, buying Nevelyn valuable time, before Kersey would realize she'd bought a bad batch. At that point, her walk to work would take another half an hour. Combined, it would be more than enough time to execute her plan.

Next she had to face the DuNesses.

She was the first one to arrive. Before heading downstairs, she placed the black dress in Tessa Brood's changing room. She set it out as artfully as she could. It would be pitiful if Nevelyn had put all this time into the work, only to have Tessa think the piece ugly. When she was finished, she went downstairs and began her normal work. Luckily, the basement was always cold, otherwise she might have been sweating with nervousness.

John arrived in a golden dress with lovely sequins. Their mother wore her traditional business suit, crisp and refined. The two of them frowned over at Kersey's absence but did not comment. Nevelyn focused on performing the most basic tasks. Her hands would not stop trembling, and that made some of the harder patterns too difficult for her. An hour passed before Simon arrived. The house manager. Nevelyn had been waiting for him.

"Really?" Simon said, all attitude. "A brand-new outfit? You didn't notify anyone?"

Faith looked up in confusion. John was already grinding their jaw. The two of them had a long and enduring feud with Simon, who was in charge of everything that wasn't costuming.

"I have no idea what you mean," she said.

Simon snorted. "Really? Tessa Brood's new dress? It's a completely different design."

"I do not manage Tessa Brood's wardrobe.…" Faith trailed off, eyes drifting to Kersey's empty seat. "That wasn't in any of our discussions. What does the new piece look like?"

"It looks dark. It's very dark. Far more intense than the last one. I'll have to change a lot."

"Come on, Simon. Brood must be attempting a rebellion. Smuggling in her own dress or something. I would know if we had plans to change an entire outfit. This wasn't a part of our weekly summary at all. Kersey hasn't mentioned it." Faith's eyes swung to Nevelyn. "Nan. Do you know about this?"

She'd been waiting to be asked. "Tessa Brood. Which one is she again?"

They all rolled their eyes. Of course the new girl didn't even know the actresses.

"Tessa plays the role of Westchester," Simon replied. "Blond hair. High cheekbones."

Nevelyn frowned with false concentration. "Oh. Yes. Kersey was working on something more modern for her. Tessa was displeased with what she debuted in. Called it old-fashioned."

Faith sputtered. "Did you say old-fashioned?"

"Oh." Nevelyn threw a hand over her mouth in embarrassment. That had been, as intended, a critique of Faith's work. "Not my words. The old dress is really pretty. Very classic. Kersey said something about just wanting to keep Tessa happy? That there had been threats before? I can't remember. I only worked a little on the dress. Kersey stayed late to finish it last night." Nevelyn cast a look around, as if she'd only just now realized the old woman was absent. "Maybe that's why she's not here?"

Faith was shaking her head. "That overriding, conniving little…"

John set a soothing hand on their mother's shoulder. Simon watched them warily.

"I want to see it," Faith announced. "I want to see it now."

Nevelyn could not have asked for a more perfect result. Simon led the charge back upstairs. She waited for them all to file out of the room before trailing after them. Their ascent drew attention. Heads turned to watch. Nevelyn could not help admiring how easy it had been to set all of this in motion. Now for the finale. She just hoped Kersey was still at home, trying to figure out why her candles weren't working today.

Tessa Brood turned as they entered her room. She was already in the dress, though the back wasn't fully laced. She looked breathtaking. Nevelyn had tried it on a few times, but she'd not felt very comfortable in the tight fabric. Tessa could not have looked more at home. The Brood heiress glittered in the bright, reflected light of the mirror.

"Gods, you can't be serious," Faith began, gesturing wildly. "It's the wrong era. The fabric and the make and all of it. This doesn't actually fit with the rest of the play!"

All of this was aimed vaguely at Nevelyn, who supposed she was a stand-in for Kersey. Tessa Brood raised her chin in response. "This is the dress I want to wear."

John tried a more subtle approach. "What if we go with the original—just for the first run—and when we're a few weeks in, you can—"

"Absolutely not."

A sharp red color was forming on Tessa's cheeks. Nevelyn didn't think she was embarrassed. It looked more like anger. She was not accustomed to being challenged. The intensity she threw back at John and Faith made them seem more like mortal enemies than colleagues.

"I'll not suffer through another poor review. I want an outfit that matches my skill. This dress works for me—and you will make it work, or we will begin a very different conversation."

Nevelyn piped in. "Might… might I just make one suggestion…?"

Faith rounded on her. "You allowed this to happen without telling me. You conniving, baseless creature. So no, you may not make a suggestion. Find your voice when it counts next time."

"On the contrary," Tessa Brood snapped. "I would hear what you have to say, Nan."

The room fell silent. By now there were likely others gathered in the halls and backstage rooms to listen to the drama of the day. Nevelyn wrung her hands, pretending to be the fretful creature they all expected. She knew, though, that Faith would never dare to override someone as well positioned as Tessa Brood. After a moment, the seamstress conceded.

"Fine. Out with it, girl."

"Why not try it out today? The dress? Run this through rehearsals. If it sticks out like a sore thumb, you'll have your answer. But if it does work? Well? Wouldn't it be better if Miss Brood was happy? Temperament impacts performance. Aren't they always saying that during the lessons?"

It was the most reasonable possible compromise. Both sides would see it as a victory. For Tessa, it would be a chance to prove the dress's merits. For Faith, an opportunity to point out just how poorly it fit with the rest of the play. The gathered parties exchanged glances.

John spoke when their mother remained silent. "It's a good idea. We'll try it for today."

Tessa turned back to her mirror, looking as victorious as Nevelyn felt. Faith was still seething, but she stormed out of the room without another word. Simon stalked in the opposite direction, consulting Tessa over possible eye shadows and other alterations. Nevelyn quietly trailed the DuNesses. When they began the descent into the under-stage labyrinth, Nevelyn saw her chance.

She darted straight toward the backstage exit.

It would be a near thing. If Kersey arrived too soon, all would be spoiled. If Tessa Brood decided to take off her dress for some reason, the plan would fail. Nevelyn had a short window of time to get home. She burst through the back door and hissed with pain when the force of her lowered shoulder made the door rebound on its hinges. It gashed the side of her foot as it slammed shut. A cut that started bleeding immediately. She ignored the pain and sprinted down the alleyway. Which is where she nearly leveled Garth.

She crashed into him with enough force to offset their size difference. It had them both pinwheeling to stay upright. Garth cursed before realizing it was her. A smile broke out on his face.

"Nan! Are you all right?"

She did not have time to talk. Not now.

"I'm very sick. Please move."

She shoved past him. In her rush, she could not make out the words he called after her. Nevelyn Tin'Vori had never won a footrace in her life. All of her siblings had been faster. Dahvid and Ware were older and stronger. Even little Ava had been far more athletic. Now, though, she ran like a wolf through the streets. A huntress in pursuit. She took every corner at speed and didn't stop until she'd reached her apartment door. One fumble of the keys, and then she was inside.

The black dress hung like a shadow in the middle of the room.

A perfect twin to the one she'd just handed to Tessa Brood. She'd patiently stitched them with great precision. Each night, she'd make the same amount of progress on both dresses. Weaving interlocking magic between them, one spell at a time. Over the course of those weeks, Nevelyn had bound the two dresses together. Her secret spells, manipulated and coaxed and guided into something more.

Now she moved the ladder over beside the dress. She carefully ascended the steps until she was standing high enough that she could look down through the unlaced top. It felt like she was staring into the throat of a nightmare creature. All shadows and teeth. There was magic pooled inside the dress that whispered to her—desperate to be loosed. Nevelyn took a deep breath.

And then she lowered herself into those waiting jaws.