Legendary Caraval #2

Donatella, I believe it's your birthday. I also believe we have unfinished business; I still owe you a prize for winning Caraval. Find me whenever you wish to collect. PIl be waiting. -Legend

She'd thought she was the key to his entire game. But, of course, Legend was playing more than one game. He hadn't come to Valenda merely to destroy the Fates and take all their powers for himself. He'd chosen this city as his game board so he could claim the throne.

Every hair on Tella's body stood at attention when she saw him. Tella could not clearly make out his face, but she could see his top hat. Sharp and black and unmistakably Legend. That blackguard. Tella knew Legend was full of secrets, but this was one she'd not even considered. He was posing as Elantine's missing child. This was why he'd left her on the steps right as the fireworks had begun; he'd gone off to watch them with the empress. Although Tella imagined he would have left her anyway.

“What's all the commotion?" "Her Majesty passed away," the servant confirmed. "They're saying the new heirher missing child is now making his first appearance from the golden tower. Everyone is going into the glass courtyard to see.

What's this?" Tella plucked the note from under the book. It was addressed to Scarlett. Tella didn't recognize the return address but she familiar with the name above it: Count Nicolas d'Arcy. Tella sat there, speechless, because she didn't think shouting was a good idea. Scarlett's entire face was pink. "I can explain." "I thought you were giving Julian another chance." "I am. But I'm giving Nicolas a chance as well."

"What if we play a game," Tella suggested. “Do you have a deck of regular cards?" She opened the drawer of the nightstand next to Scarlett's bed. "Don't!" Scarlett leaped up. If she hadn't reacted so strongly, Tella might have shut the drawer without There was a book inside the drawer, a fancy red leather thing, with an looking too hard. But the minute Scarlett shouted, Tella's interest intensified.

Her stomach went hollow. If she'd been standing her legs might have crumbled. He was striding away. Leaving her. "Wait-where are you going?" He continued down the steps. For a moment she feared he wouldn't turn back around. But it was almost worse that he did. His eyes, which earlier had been so heated, so full of motion, didn't glitter or shine or spark any longer. They were flat, black, and growing colder with every heartbeat like the fading fireworks above. "There's somewhere else I need to be. And, no matter what this looks like. I'm still not the hero in your story." Something cracked inside of Tella. It might have been her heart, breaking while he walked away

"I still don't understand," Tella said. The hands against her back stilled. "I know you were willing to sacrifice yourself for her, butI wasn't willing to sacrifice you."

The stars watched with grim interest as he covered the deck of cards with the magic from his veins, more magic than a human should possess. Then he spoke the words, ancient, terrible words he should not have known, let alone been willing to utter. The blood covering the deck turned black, and the world changed once more.

And since her story wasn't going to have a happy true ending, at least she could try for one last good moment during her almost-ending. "I lied to my sister about our kiss," Tella said. Dante pressed his lips to her forehead. I know." "T'm not finished," she scolded. I wanted you to know why I lied. I wasn't ashamed. I said it so my sister wouldn't worry, because I think I knew even then that I could have" The night. The world. The stars watching from above all disappeared. Then Tella disappeared as well.

Her panic increased and she shoved him again. But he wouldn't fight back and he wouldn't flee. He wasn't afraid. He was something far worse. He was hopeful that she would choose him. He didn't leave and he didn't take the cards because he wanted her to give them to him. And maybe he imagined that if Jacks arrived he could beat him in a battle. Either way, Tella still lost her mother or she lost Dante. Unless she saved them both. The idea felt fragile at first, but like all thoughts it grew stronger the more sideration she gave to it. All this time, she kept thinking Jacks was the only one who could free her mother. But Tella could take her mother's place. Caspar had mentioned how it was done during the play. All she needed to do was write her name on the card in blood

If he was Legend, he wasn't supposed to care. He wasn't supposed to still gaze at her as if she'd just shattered his world with a kiss. He was supposed to laugh at her for being foolish enough to fall for him. He wasn't supposed to lean in closer, as if he'd fallen for her, too. He was supposed to rip the cards from her hands and abandon her on the moonstone steps. He was supposed to break her heart. She wasn't supposed to break his. Finally Tella's heart stopped racing. She couldn't do this. She couldn't take more away from him than she already had. Jacks would have to find another source for his power

"Tella, look at me." Another step. Then she felt the heady warmth that always seemed to surround him. It pressed against her shoulders and chest, as if he were standing right in front her. "I can't talk to you like this." She kept her eyes firmly closed. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She'd suspected Dante was Legend, but she wasn't supposed to be right. "I don't want to talk to you," she said. "I want to talk to Legend." Then open your eyes and speak to me."

The world was about change. Either all the Fates and Tella's mother would go free, or Legend would destroy them and become the most powerful human in the world. No wonder the stars had blinked earlier that night. Tella imagined them doing it again as she reached into the wooden box, boldly picked up her mother' s cursed Deck of Destiny, and officially won Caraval.

"What happens if he doesn't?" Theron traced the star-shaped brand on his face. “If your Dante fails us, he will die," Tella's mouth went dry.

“I’m here to open my mother's vault." Theron's eyes dropped to Tella's ring. "You are fortunate to have such a good friend." A prickle of fresh unease joined the sweat dripping down her neck as she thought of Dante. What did he give you to break the curse on the ring?" There's only one way to break the curse. But there is always one way around every curse. In this case, we made an exchange that has temporarily lifted it from your ring, Now do you wish to keep asking questions, or would you like to see your vault?" “First, tell me what Dante gave you in this exchange." "He made us a promise. I cannot tell you what it is, but if you care about him, you'l want to make sure he keeps his word."

"What happened earlier?" Tella asked. saying the real Lost Heir, Elantine's missing child, has reappeared. Of course, right after the rumors started." "You really haven't heard? The whole palace is bubbling about it. They're one has confirmed it." The maid hushed her voice. "The empress fell ill "What's wrong with her?" Tella asked. "I'm not privy to that sort of information," said the maid. "But it sounds serious." “It's all probably part of Caraval," Tella said.

Legend and Jacks both had more power than Tella. But they each needed her to get the one thing they wanted: her mother's Deck of Destiny. Without Tella, neither of them could touch that cursed deck. Without Tella, Legend couldn't destroy the Fates and Tella's mother, and without Tella, Jacks could not free the Fates or steal Legend's magic, so that he'd once again be at his full power

But Tella swore she felt the blood rushing through his veins, heating the hands still encircling her wrists. He might have appeared indifferent, heart was beating as fast as hers. Tella stopped mid-kick. His heart was beating. She stumbled back and he let her go. «You have a heartbeat." "No. My heart hasn't beat in a very long time. You're the one who's delusional now." His voice was colder than she'd ever heard it, yet the chill it brought did not erase the searing memory of his hot hands around her wrists. "I might be a lot of things, but I know what I felt," Tella said. Only one person could make it beat again: his one true love. They said his kiss had been fatal to all but herhis only weakness.. "I made your heart beat," Tella crowed. It was wild and absurd

The carriage door opened, followed by a flash of familiar cerise fabric. Tella couldn't be positive-other than the dress, all she saw was a curtain of thick dark hair. But from the back, the young woman looked exactly like Scarlett. Tella continued to watch, but her sister didn't turn around. She scurried forward, flitting out of the carriage house before Tella's coach had even moved. Then the door to the carriage before her opened again. Tella only saw the back of this person as well, but she instantly recognized his careless walk, his wrinkled clothes, and his head of golden hair. Jacks.

"You aren't going to do that," Dante promised. “Tl find another way for you to get inside their vaults. " "How? You heard Theron. He said only mny ring can open the vault, but it's cursed until my mother' s debt is paid." «Then I'll ind another way to pay it." "No!" Dante's grin widened. "If you' re afraid I plan on giving myself to the stars instead, don't be, I'm not that selfless." Then what are you going to do?" "Every curse has a way to be broken, and a loophole. If the stars won't accept another payment to break the curse on your ring, I'll find the loophole." Tella had never heard it phrased like this, but she supposed it made sense.

Dante's fingers tensed around her neck and he kissed her again, as if it were the only way he knew how to finish what he'd been saying. It didn't last nearly long enough. But it upended her. It made her wonder if jewels hidden away safely in boxes sometimes longed to be stolen by thieves because now he was definitely stealing her heart, and she wanted him to take even more. When he ended the kiss, his hands wrapped gently around her waist, a soft contrast to the barbed tone of his voice as he said, “Now, tell me why you were bleeding"