Legendary

by Stephanie Garber

‘Relax,’ he repeated. ‘The only thing you should think about is that you’re more desirable than anyone else in this room. Every person here wishes they were you.’

He tasted like exquisite nightmares and stolen dreams, like the wings of fallen angels, and bottles of fresh moonlight.

At least remember the stories Nana Anna told us – Legend likes to be the villain.’ Tella grinned. ‘How could I forget? That was always my favorite part.’

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

Or maybe Aiko was Legend – it would be brilliant if the Great Master Legend turned out to be a girl.

‘Who did this to you?’ he asked.

‘I don’t even know why I kissed him. I didn’t really care if he kicked me out of the palace for lying. I think I wanted to make you jealous.’ ‘It worked,’ Dante said roughly.

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

‘You really care about her?’ Another pause. ‘I care about finding those cards, and she’s our best hope for it, brother.’

When that witch cursed us, she took half our powers. I’m a shadow of what I once was. You think my only power was having a deadly kiss? I was called the Prince of Hearts because I could control more than just the beat of someone’s heart. With one touch I could give or take away feelings and emotions. If I were at my full powers, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. You’d be so uncontrollably in love with me, you’d do whatever I asked without question.’ Tella didn’t even bother to hold back her laugh. ‘No power on earth could make me fall in love with you.’

Only the moon lingered, undoubtedly wishing it had lips after witnessing what Tella and Dante had just done.

‘I think I’d like you even if you were the villain.’ She smiled against his lips. ‘Maybe I’d like you even if you were a hero.’ ‘But I’m not the hero,’ he reminded her. ‘Then perhaps I’m here to save you.’

‘I kept coming back to you, not because of Legend, or the game. But because you’re so real and alive and fearless and daring and beautiful and if what’s between us isn’t real, then I don’t know what is.’

‘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 still hate you,’ she said. ‘It’s probably for the best.’