Tella doubted her sister had attended a ball. The dress must have been Legend’s enchanted gown, which left Tella even more perplexed. The last time she’d seen Scarlett, Scarlett had told her she didn’t trust Legend or anyone who worked for him, and yet she still wore his dress.

Tella didn’t want to be suspicious of her sister, but the sight of her in the gown was enough to make Tella wonder if Scarlett was in on the game. Perhaps to repay Tella for tricking Scarlett the last time around.

Tella’s mouth hardened.

Then she saw a tear glide down Scarlett’s cheek. Followed by another.

Unlike Tella, Scarlett didn’t know how to fake tears, or Tella would have certainly seen her do it before.

Another tear fell. And another, leaving streaks on Scarlett’s cheeks.

No. Her sister wasn’t acting. Tella was being paranoid. Just as her sister had warned, Tella was no longer clearly able to see what was real and what was merely part of the game.

Frustrated at herself and the game for making her doubt Scarlett, Tella cast about the rounded room for something compassionate to say, since Scarlett appeared genuinely miserable, and Tella had obviously been listening in as Scarlett had argued with the cause of her pain. But all that came out was “Is Julian really Legend’s brother?”

Scarlett fell back against the bed in a pile of crumbling red silk. “Julian told me they were brothers at the end of Caraval, but I’m starting to think he would say anything to keep me.”

“At least you know he cares about you.”

“But does he really?” More tears streamed down Scarlett’s face. “When you truly care about someone, aren’t you supposed to be honest, even if it means you might lose that person?”

“I don’t think it’s usually that simple. I love you more than anyone in the world, but I’ve lied to you, a lot,” Tella said cheerfully, hoping to make her sister smile.

Scarlett’s frown wobbled, as if she wanted to laugh but then it fell as if she couldn’t remember how. “I can’t tell if you really think I should forgive him, or if you’re trying to make me feel better.”

“Of course I’m trying to make you feel better. As far as whether to forgive him, that depends on whether Legend is actually his brother.” Tella said it half joking, but she was also serious, and for a moment she hated herself for taking advantage of her sister. But if Tella didn’t win the game and find Legend, if she died again, Scarlett would be beyond inconsolable. Tella was the sister who would destroy the world if anything happened to Scarlett, but Scarlett’s world would be destroyed if anything happened to Tella.

“I’ve already tried asking Julian, but he won’t tell me who Legend is.” Scarlett slumped against the bedpost. “He’s made it seem as if it’s physically impossible for him to betray the secret, yet it wasn’t difficult for him to give me the impression Legend was his brother.” She wiped furiously at her damp eyes with the backs of her hands. “It makes me wonder if it was all a lie. I’m almost more inclined to believe Julian is Legend, but he didn’t want to tell me so he claimed Legend was his brother.” Scarlett sniffled against her pillow, deflating further.

Tella considered what her sister said as she watched the skirt of Scarlett’s gown shorten and grow slimmer, turning into more of a nightdress, while its color softened to pale pink. It was a marvel. Tella had been a little envious of the dress during the last Caraval. The gown behaved as if it had thoughts and feelings of its own, shifting fabric, cut, and color of its own caprice. Its magic was exceptional even by Caraval standards, and Legend had given it to Scarlett. Tella had heard performers whisper about it during the last game, wondering why he’d given her such a singular gift. Suddenly it made more sense if Julian was actually Legend, as Scarlett had just suggested.

Tella sat down on the bed beside her sister. “Do you really believe Julian could be Legend?”

“I don’t know,” Scarlett mumbled. “I think Legend has power over his performers; I don’t believe he controls their every action, but I get the impression he can prevent them from revealing certain secrets. So if Julian really were Legend, I doubt he’d have allowed Armando to tell me the truth about the role he’d played in the last Caraval.”

“I hate Armando,” Tella said.

“He was only doing his job. But I can’t say I like him very much either.” Scarlett punched the pillow she’d been sniffling in, a bit of her fight returning.

“Do you think he could be Legend?” Tella asked.

“I think anyone could be Legend.” Scarlett sucked back the last of her tears. When she looked at Tella, her face was determined. “I think the only way to find out for certain who Legend is, is if we keep using Julian to win the game.”

“You want to use him?” Tella nearly toppled off the bed. This was not like her sister at all. “Where did this come from? I thought you didn’t even want me to play.”

“I don’t. But if you win and meet Legend, then we can find out the truth about Julian.” Scarlett pulled out a slip of paper as if it were a dagger she’d hidden up her sleeve.

This was definitely a new side of Scarlett.

Tella liked it.

“Julian gave me this,” Scarlett said. “It’s the next clue. He said he wanted to help you, but I think he was trying to bribe me with it.”

Tella took the page, recognizing the script from the first clue card she’d received at the party.

* * *

THE GOAL OF THIS GAME IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK,

TO FIND THE TRUTH SEEK THE WOMAN

OF PARCHMENT AND INK.

SHE ALONE HOLDS THE NEXT CLUE,

WHICH WAS LEFT ONLY FOR YOU.

* * *

“This sounds like a woman I met at a Wanted shop the other day in the Spice Quarter.”

It also sounded as if it truly were meant for Tella alone. She doubted everyone playing the game had paused at the same shop. Elantine’s Most Wanted. Tella had hoped to return there, but it seemed like a rather great coincidence that Legend was leading her back to the very place that had first put her in touch with Jacks.

The game was starting to seem too real again.

Tella reminded herself of all the trickery she’d just witnessed from Legend’s performers in the Temple District. She would have been intentionally naive to believe that Caraval was more than just a game. Caraval was just one giant deception, but Tella could feel it trying to pull her in.

She held out the clue card Scarlett had just given her. “Come with me tomorrow night to look into this.”

Scarlett bit down on her lip.

“What, do you have other plans?”

“Who would I have plans with?” Scarlett asked. But the question came out oddly shrill, and Tella swore her nightgown flinched, quickly flickering from pink to black.

Tella didn’t know what her sister was hiding, but again she had the feeling that Scarlett was concealing something.

“I’d just prefer not to go out at night,” Scarlett added. “I can’t risk getting caught up in the game again.”

“I understand,” Tella said. She just wasn’t certain if she believed her.

NIGHT THREE

OF CARAVAL

22

Tella would have traded a year of her life for another hour of sleep. She didn’t even care that she possibly had less than one year to live. She never wanted to leave the blissful blue comfort of her bed with all its soft blankets and downy pillows. Yesterday had been brutally long. But she’d already slept much more than she should have—and if she never got up she would definitely have less than one year to live.