“Stay. I’d like to discuss the fence.” Alison stepped toward Justine. “My sister is surprisingly . . . normal. She dates males, works in some sort of . . . What is it you do, Chas?”

“Technical writing.” Chastity obviously heard the dangerous edge in Alison’s voice; she came to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Alison.

“Right. Tedious normal things. I, however, am not quite as civilized.”

“Alison.” Chastity reached out for Alison’s hand and pulled her away from Justine. She smiled reassuringly at the now visibly nervous human and said, “Please forgive my sister. She’s a bit overprotective.”

Justine looked from one to the other. “I don’t think I like your attitude, Miss Faolchu.” She visibly composed herself. Her shoulders straightened, and she smoothed her sleeves down. “I will be going now.”

“No. I don’t think you should, Justine.” Alison glanced at Chastity and said quietly, “Leash me or step back.”

Chastity shot her another quelling look, but she did not order her to stop.

Alison looped an arm around Justine’s waist. The ARB chairperson stiffened and attempted to pull away, but Alison kept her arm where it was. “Did Chastity tell you about the work Mr. Vaduva is doing? Today is his first day here, but we’re very excited about the project.”

At that, Justine paused. “ DamekVaduva? Here?”

“The same.”

“I’ve seen his work in Architectural Digestand Metropolitan Homeand . . . He’s a genius.”

“Would you like to meet him?” With her free arm, Alison gestured toward the stairway leading to the lower level.

“Justine has a meeting to attend,” Chastity said.

Alison glanced at her sister. “Of course . . . the meeting. Chastity is going to that meeting, too. Maybe you could ride over together. She’s hoping to petition the board for approval for the fence, so maybe you could discuss it on the way.”

Justine looked toward the stairwell. “I suppose I could miss one meeting.”

“I don’t think that’s fair,” Chastity said. “If you aren’t even there to hear my petition—”

“You can talk to me while I’m here,” Justine amended. “I was the only one objecting, but I can see now that you have good taste . . . perhaps, I could reconsider my stance. I mean, if Vaduva is here. He isreally here?”

“Come meet him. Then call your committee. Maybe afterward you can talk to Damek. He’s been nattering on about some architectural trip that he’s leading . . .”

“Damek. You call him Damek?” Justine whispered.

“We come from the same place.” Alison shrugged. “Not family, mind you, but we have an old connection.”

Alison saw Chastity stiffen at the mention of Damek coming from the same place, but she did not ask the question she so obviously wanted to. She wouldn’t in front of outsiders.

“Come downstairs, Chas.” Alison held out her free hand. “You should meet Damek.”

Silently, Chastity accepted Alison’s hand. She squeezed it briefly, and then she opened the door to the basement. “I’m glad we’re able to work this out, Justine.”

“Of course.” The ARB chair sounded positively friendly now. She smiled as she started down the stairs.

AT THE FOOTof the stairs, Chastity stood silent as Alison introduced Justine to Damek Vaduva. She wasn’t prepared for the way he looked at her; the familiarity of his assessment made her blush like a far younger Bori. He didn’t speak to her, not yet. Instead he listened as Justine gushed at him, senseless words about his artistry, about how she had tried to get an appointment but was callously rebuffed.

“It’s almost unfortunate,” Chastity said quietly. She caught her sister’s gaze. “You didn’t tell me he was from home. I didn’t know there were any traditional builders here.”

“You can tell me to cease,” Alison reminded her. “You make the final decisions.”

Chastity folded her arms and looked from the builder to her sister. “Mr. Vaduva?”

“Damek,” he corrected. “To you, I am only Damek.” He caught and held Chastity’s gaze then as he added, “It is an honor to work in your nest.”

“Their nest?” Justine echoed. “Oh, the house. In English, it is house. A nestis what animals have.”

Damek motioned for Justine to come closer to him, but his gaze remained fixed on Chastity. “Do you wish me to do this work?”

“Yes.”

There was a moment when neither Borinor builder moved, and then Damek turned to Justine. “Come here.” He pointed into the section of the wall that had been torn open. The drywall was gone, and a peculiar stone-and-wood structure was now alongside the original studs. The stone wall was already built almost knee-high.

“You see the beams. They are good beams. A structure must have the right support.”

Justine leaned forward and looked into the partially built wall. “I see.”

“No. You must come closer.” Damek stepped over the stone and stood in the opening. He laid one hand on the beam. “Inside is the support. This is where the strength comes from. In here.”

Then he stepped out and motioned for Justine to step into the opening. Obediently, she did.

“Look there . . . to the side.” Damek stepped closer, invading Justine’s space, and bodily blocking her exit from the partially built wall. He pointed. “Do you see the weakness of the beams? They need more support.”

Once Justine was looking away, Damek made a gesture at his side with one hand. Alison tugged on a rope, pulling a board from above Justine and releasing the sludgy mix Damek required. It poured over Justine, who shrieked as she lost her balance.

“You idiot!”

“Hold still.” Damek reached out with both hands, but instead of steadying her, he wrapped his hands around her throat and squeezed.

Eyes widened in fear, she stared at him as she clawed at his arms.

Once she crumpled, Damek looked toward Chastity. “You must hold her up.”

With one hand, Chastity pushed Justine backward until her shoulder was flush against the exposed beam behind her. Damek took Chastity’s other hand and put it on Justine’s throat. “Squeeze if she wakes.”

Damek knelt at Chastity’s feet and continued building the wall. He hummed softly as he worked, and he paused only to look admiringly at Chastity—who pretended not to notice.

Justine was walled in up to her hips when Chastity finally allowed her to stir. “What are you doing?” She pushed against Chastity’s grip. “Stop.”

“Support matters,” Damek told her with a frown. “My buildings . . . they never fall. You say you want to understand. You are learning a secret now.”

“No.” Justine slapped at them with hands caked in the clay mixture and scratched Chastity’s arms. Her fingernails gouged Chastity’s forearms, leaving behind tiny red cuts atop the thin scars already there.

“I share this secret.” Damek frowned. “Many years ago people understood. Now? Things have changed.”

Chastity nodded and shoved Justine more firmly against the wall. The ARB chair struck Damek and clawed at him, scraping her now-broken fingernails on his face. She grabbed Chastity’s wrists, bruising them. Damek and Chastity ignored her.

“They have. It’s not that I can’t appreciate the benefits, but I worry. The littles are so young, and this world . . . It was different before. I worry—” Chastity stopped herself.

Damek paused. “I understand.”

As they stared at one another, Justine shrieked and struggled against the stone, brick, and spell-laden mortar that now encased her legs. “You people are sick. You can’t dothis. People will notice. It’s—”

“People never notice. Sacrifice helps buildings,” Damek said.

“I won’t tell. I will sign your fence form and—”

“No,” Alison interrupted. “We needed someone with strong emotions. You are the right person for this job, Justine.”

There was a flash of sorrow in Chastity, but not so much that she would fail to do what must be done to keep her nest safe.