Legendary

by Stephanie Garber

Tella nodded, though she didn’t truly understand; she was still at that tender age when the future seemed too far away to be real.

Tella could see her sister trying to battle it, but then it transformed into a melodious laugh. Happiness made Scarlett even prettier. Tella giggled with her until their smiles matched, as if worries were things made for other people.

Saying something was for someone else’s own good was almost always another way of justifying something wrong.

Tella might have been many things, but she was far from silly or worthless or whatever labels people liked to affix because a person was young and female.

Scarlett was Tella’s person – the one someone in the world whom Tella could always count on. Tella might not have believed in falling in love, but she had literally bet her life that Scarlett loved her. Tella would destroy the world before she allowed anything to happen to her sister.

So that even when they were parted they could sense if the other was safe or afraid by the pace of their hearts. That’s what I would want, someone who would give me a piece of himself rather than scraps of fabric.’

But Tella wanted love about as much as she wished to contract a disease. There were no kisses worth dying for. No souls worth merging with. There were many beautiful young men in the world, but Tella believed that none of them could be trusted with something as fragile, or valuable, as a heart

‘Weren’t you the one who said you see girls the same way we see party dresses, only to be used once?’ ‘Clearly I view you a little differently.’ He reached for one of her errant curls and wound it around one tattooed finger,

‘You know I can’t do that.’ ‘You could if you were Legend.’ Dante’s voice rumbled with a laugh. ‘If I was Legend I’d definitely never tell you.’ ‘Because you don’t trust me?’ ‘No,’ he answered slowly, gently tugging her even closer. ‘I’d hold on to my secret because I’d want to keep playing the game with you, and if I told you the truth it would spoil all the fun.’

Tella wondered if this was the true allure of Caraval, not the magic or the mystery, but the way Legend’s players knew how to make people feel.

Even if I wasn’t Legend I would want you to win.

Unfortunately Tella wasn’t the sort of girl people saved – she was the one they left behind.

‘I’ve never wanted to be someone else until that moment I saw him kiss you on the dance floor.’

All her life she’d been underestimated, by her father who thought she was useless, her sister who loved her but feared she couldn’t stay out of trouble, her nana who thought of her as only a nuisance, Tella even underestimated herself at times. It was almost cruel that the one who seemed to believe in her the most was the same being who was also slowly killing her.

‘You honestly think I’d leave you on these steps like this after working so hard to gain your trust?’ ‘I thought you were working for Legend.’ He eased closer. ‘Think whatever you want, but if you honestly believe that’s the only reason I’m here right now with my hands all over you, you’re not nearly as clever as I thought.’

He gazed at her as if he wanted her to lose herself somewhere in his eyes, so that he could be the one to find her.

‘For years I prayed to any saint who might be listening to please keep her alive until I was able to find her. I wasted all my prayers on her, and she gave me away like a stained rag.

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.

In her experience, the safe choice often felt like not making a choice at all, like politely stepping back and allowing others with more power to do what they saw fit.

But I think Paradise was afraid of love because when she loved, she did it as fiercely as she lived.’

‘Not everyone gets a true ending. There are two types of endings because most people give up at the part of the story where things are the worst, where the situation feels hopeless. But that’s when hope is needed most. Only those who persevere can find their true ending.’

‘I don’t want to talk to you,’ she said. ‘I want to talk to Legend.’ ‘Then open your eyes and speak to me.’ Her legs gave out.

As long as they kissed, only she and Dante existed. Tella never wanted to open her eyes; as soon as she did, the world would shift. Dante would be gone and there would only be Legend.

‘What did you promise them?’ Tella asked. ‘It doesn’t matter. I did it for you and I’d do it again.’ Dante rotated his wrist until somehow he was holding her hand. He still hadn’t even looked at the cards. His dark eyes stayed fixed on her as if she were his prize.

‘I know you were willing to sacrifice yourself for her, but I wasn’t willing to sacrifice you.’

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 – as if he hadn’t just freed the Fates and damned the entire world for her.

But she was too young for endings. Her adventures were only beginning. They would be bigger than promises, and brighter than constellations. By the end of them, Tella would be the legendary one.

It smelled like him, of ink and secrets and wicked magic. His writing was all thick, dark strokes. As she read she refused to smile, but something like hope began to grow in her heart. 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. I’ll be waiting. —Legend