Nela is a sixteen-year-old orphan who resides under the care of the Centeno family, who work in the mines of Socrates. Her parents were unmarried and had a contentious relationship. After her father accidentally dropped Nela as an infant while at work as a lamp lighter and cleaner, Nela’s mother refused to entrust the child in his care. He died alone in the hospital while Nela’s mother killed herself by jumping into the abyss in La Trascava. This tragic family history haunts young Nela as she develops a strange fondness for the caverns of La Terrible, and spends her time communing with voices from the abyss in La Trascava. Often, she hears her mother’s voice beckoning Nela to join her.

Nela is described as a tiny woman with birdlike features and a thin mouth. While such features may be considered unsightly, Teodoro notes that her goodness imbues her qualities with a subtle lightness. He cites Polo de Medina who writes, “A mouth is sweet that asks for nothing” (21). Nela embodies this humility to a fault, which can be attributed to her low sense of self-worth. She often proclaims, “I am of no use at all” (21).