Legendary (Caraval 2)

“Maybe that’s our problem,” Scarlett said. “I don’t want you trying to ‘keep me.’ I want to know who you really are.”

Whatever Julian responded was too low for Tella to clearly make out. And then she heard him leave.

Tella probably should have waited longer before opening the door and bursting into Scarlett’s room, but once she entered it would be no secret she’d been eavesdropping.

Tella turned the knob.

The minute she stepped through the doorway she found herself in a fireplace, which thankfully was not lit. Tella brushed ash from her dress as she stepped out into the suite.

Scarlett’s room was as cool as tears. At a glance it looked like the inside of a music box—quilted walls of sapphire-blue satin surrounded a circular chamber full of delicate crystal tables with scalloped edges and chairs with stained-glass feet. Even the slender canopy bed looked like an ephemeral thing formed of sparkling quartz and dreams. It was a room for an enchanted princess. But in this particular story Scarlett looked more disenchanted. Her face was pale, framed by limp dark hair. Even her surprise looked dull as she noticed her sister.

The only thing that did not look dim was her dress. Tella had expected her sister to be in a nightgown, but either Scarlett had just come from a secret ball, or she was still wearing Legend’s magical gown and the dress was determined to do its part to keep Scarlett and Julian together. Her bodice was strapless red silk that flowed into a crimson skirt so full it covered a quarter of the room.

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.”