Legendary (Caraval, #2)

by Stephanie Garber

Dante should not have come to her aid. It gave her more hope that he wasn’t Legend. Legend was not known for making sacrifices, and as flattering as it would be if he’d changed for her, Tella silently prayed that wasn’t the case, because she could not do the same for him. She’d come here to save her mother, no matter the cost.

If you win Caraval, the first face you see will be Legend’s.

“Tella—” A low, achingly familiar voice, called from the base of the steps, followed by the echo of Dante’s heavy footfalls. She froze. If you win Caraval, the first face you see will be Legend’s. No. No. No. Tella quickly shut her eyes before she could see him. Maybe if she didn’t open her eyes he’d walk away, she’d see another face, and Dante wouldn’t be Legend.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” she said. “I want to talk to Legend.” “Then open your eyes and speak to me.”

They kissed as if the world were ending, lips crashing together as if the heavens were breaking and the ground was crumbling, as if a war raged all around them and this kiss was the only thing mighty enough to stop it. As long as they kissed, only she and Dante existed.

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. She still had the blood Dante and Julian had used to heal her pulsing through her veins; if her mortal blood wasn’t enough, that blood should do the trick.