Page 16 of A Whisper in the Walls

Nevelyn answered in her own way, allowing her nails to dig down slightly during the exchange. The boy hissed in surprise at that pain, but Nevelyn was already moving away, paper tucked under one arm. She didn’t have time for little boys playing their little games. Not today.

She started across town, aiming for the city’s lowliest graveyard. Cheap land where they buried the coinless and bereft. She would find the headstone marked with their sister’s name and sit in the shadow of the lily pines there. It helped her to read the stories from the paper aloud and imagine what details Ava would remark upon. Her younger sister had always been compulsively obsessed with the specific. Ever since she’d left them, Nevelyn had felt like she was overlooking some small but crucial piece of their plan. And so she read every single article, every scrap of news, and hoped that Ava’s ghost would whisper some light over what she might be missing.

She smiled at that grim thought, tightened her threadbare coat, and walked back through the clogged streets. Busy as they were, no one seemed to notice her. Nevelyn smiled at that, too.

9 REN MONROE

Ren watched impatiently as her mother separated from the others in line. She had a purchase tucked under one arm and an almost unreadable look on her face. When she finally spotted Ren waiting at the corner for her, she smiled.

“Got it,” she said, untucking the paper. “This is the one you wanted, right?”

Ren frowned. “I don’t care about the newspaper, Mother. Was it her?”

Their mark had just disappeared around the corner. This had all been her mother’s idea. It was the only place in the city where a person could keep official tabs on the happenings of Kathor. They’d bribed the first few messenger boys who arrived that morning, showing them an old portrait of the Tin’Vori children. There was a girl, they said, who looked like one of the sisters, but they couldn’t be sure. It was more than enough to convince Ren and her mother to wait around and see who showed up. They’d both marked the girl’s arrival. She fit the description perfectly. A little tall. Her hair a nest of curls. Pretty, but always looking down to avoid eye contact. Now they were running out of time to pursue her. Ren just needed a confirmation of their guess.

“Was it who?” her mother replied.

“The girl. You talked to her in line. Were we right? Is it Nevelyn Tin’Vori?”

Her mother shook her head. “Ren. I didn’t talk to anyone. I got you the newspaper.…”

But now she looked confused. Muddled. Ren was struck by the realization. Magic. She used magic on my mother. She thought back through what she’d witnessed from the shadowed mouth of the alleyway. Her mother had quietly taken her place behind the girl. Eventually she’d struck up a conversation. Their suspected Nevelyn had appeared closed off the entire time. A reasonable stance for someone who might want to hide their identity. Their conversation had ended rather abruptly, but Ren had been too far away to know the reason. She’d assumed it had simply run its course, but looking at her mother, she suspected that Nevelyn had used some sort of spell. Her mother was no forgetful crone. She was one of the sharpest minds Ren had ever met. But right now she was claiming she’d never even talked to the girl that Ren had clearly watched her talk to?

“You don’t remember any of it?”

Another headshake. “Love, I’d… I’d remember if I talked to someone.”

“Head back to our rooms. I’ll meet you there in a few hours. Go. Quickly.”

And Ren shot toward the distant alley. In pursuit once more. She heard a startled noise from her mother, but there was no time to explain. The messenger boy had given them a list—along with descriptions—of anyone in line who kept their identities hidden. Apparently, the crews that delivered papers back to their masters were all relatively familiar with one another. There were only a few outcasts in the group, and one of the women he’d pegged was the one who fit Nevelyn’s description. Never spoke to anyone. Never revealed any details. Bought the cheapest papers, too.

Now that same girl had cast a spell on her mother.

Ren turned the corner, rushed down the length of the alleyway, and came shouldering out into a much more crowded space. She’d give anything to let Vega loose now. The bird would have found their mark in no time, but she’d left the bird back in Kathor, not wanting to risk such a visual display. If there were Brood spies in this place, they’d mark the statue instantly. No, she’d have to hunt with her own two eyes.

Her attention darted from face to face, outline to outline. Their suspected Nevelyn had been dressed so unremarkably, though. As if she’d intended to blend in with a crowd. All light browns—not a single color that might catch the eye. The only notable detail was a small, silver necklace.

Ren searched again. She cursed the busy, trafficked hour. On instinct, she pressed into the larger market square on her right, hoping the change in angle would offer what she needed. There was no sign of the girl. Ren knew the delivery boy would not return to the Herald for weeks. It could be just as long before they found her again if Ren did not find her now.

There was an alleyway on her right. Ren eyed the length of it and saw another market in the distance. Maybe Nevelyn had gone that way. She started forward, so distracted that she nearly missed the distant call of her name. It wasn’t her mother. A man’s voice. Growing louder.

“Hey!”

Ren turned. To her utter surprise, Mat Tully was bustling toward her. He looked ragged, at least compared with the polished boy she’d spoken with at Theo’s party last year. He was thinner and paler and looked as if he hadn’t slept since that last conversation. Ren could feel a mental clock ticking as her chance to find Nevelyn continued to slip from her grasp.

“Mat Tully,” she remarked dryly. It was too late to hide her identity. She didn’t want a long conversation—especially not with someone from Kathor who could report to others that she was in Ravinia. “Apologies, but I can’t stop to chat. I have an appointment. Perhaps we could catch up later? If you let me know where you’re staying…”

She turned away, aiming once more for the waiting alley. Mat Tully sputtered out a warning, though. “Wait, Ren. This isn’t Kathor. You can’t just walk down random alleyways. That’s a traveler’s trap if I’ve ever seen one. Look.”

He pointed. Ren had been so focused on the distant and glittering market that she hadn’t taken note of everything between here and there. Stray crates stacked up in strategic choke points. The slightest movement in those nestling shadows. She looked back to Mat.

“Thieves?”

“Of course. There are crews running every quarter,” he replied. “And they’re not always content to pick your pockets. The more dangerous groups will knife you first. Trust me, you don’t want to go down there.…”

Ren let out a sigh. Any chance of trailing Nevelyn was gone. She eyed the surrounding crowds one more time before turning her full attention to Mat Tully.

“Why are you in Ravinia?” she asked. “I thought you were traveling to… distant villages? Studying alternative medicine, right?”

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