Ellie’s chores doubled. Careen lacked Neveah’s true viciousness, so she settled for making Ellie work twice as hard at meaningless tasks. She made Ellie shine her jewelry until she could see her reflection. Twice, Ellie had to rearrange Careen’s closet and clean dresses Careen could have cleaned with craft. Ellie did the chores without complaint. She would do them until she could get a message to Thane and warn him not to come around anymore. She would take the punishment for him. On top of her regular chores, and Careen’s added chores, Neveah had several parties. At first, Ellie was not sure what they were celebrating, until Ellie got wind that there had been another large confrontation between the Bumbalows and the Coopers; payback for the attack on Ellie’s house and Ellie’s abduction. No one had died, but the Coopers had lost the fight. Winning mattered more to most of Ellie’s kin than killing the Coopers. They loved to see the Coopers lose in a fight. ‘Most’ excluded Neveah.
