It was difficult to picture her father being thoughtful like that now. He’d been so different before. After Paloma had run off and he’d been unable to find her, he’d destroyed everything that reminded him of her, leaving Scarlett with only the earrings, but only because she’d hidden them from him. That’s when Scarlett swore to always stay with her sister, to never leave Tella with nothing but a piece of jewelry and faded memories the way their mother had. Even years later, Paloma’s disappearance clung to Scarlett like a shadow that no amount of brightness could erase.

Scarlett’s eyes burned with tears. Again, she tried to remember this was only a game. But it was not the game she thought it would be.

Back in the crooked hallway of La Serpiente, Scarlett was not surprised to find the pregnant girl had made off with all her things. Nothing remained in the hall of her sister’s precious belongings. All Scarlett found was a glass button and a picture card that either the girl or someone else must have dropped.

“Those vultures.”

“I didn’t know you were the sort who ever cursed.” Julian leaned against the opposite wall, brown arms crossed lazily over his chest, making Scarlett wonder if he’d been there all along.

“I didn’t know the word vulture was a curse,” said Scarlett.

“The way you used it made it sound like one.”

“You’d curse too if you had a sister who was kidnapped as part of this game.”

“There you go again thinking too highly of me, Crimson. If I had a sister who was kidnapped for this game, I’d use it to my advantage. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and come on.” Julian pushed off the wall and started toward Tella’s ransacked room.

The vultures were gone but everything important was cleaned out. Even the green glass doorknob had been absconded with.

“I tried to collect all her things but—” Scarlett’s voice cracked as she entered the room, reminded of all the greedy eyes and hands grabbing at Tella’s possessions, as if they were segments of a puzzle rather than pieces of a person.

She looked up at Julian, but there was no pity in his hooded gaze. “It’s just a game, Crimson. Those people were only playing. If you want to win you have to be a little bit ruthless. Nice is not what Caraval is about.”

“I don’t believe you,” Scarlett said. “Just because your moral compass is broken doesn’t mean everyone here is unscrupulous.”

“The ones who come close to winning are. Not everyone comes here just for fun. Some only play so they can sell what they gather to the highest bidder. Like the mate who ran off with your ear-things.”

“He won’t get much money for those,” Scarlett said bitterly.

“You’d be surprised.” Julian picked up a knob from the broken wardrobe. “People are willing to spend a lot of money, or give up their deepest secrets, for a bit of Caraval magic. But those who don’t play fairly usually pay an even higher price.” Julian tossed the knob into the air and let it fall to the ground before quietly admitting, “Legend has a sense of justice that way.”

“Well, I don’t want to play at all,” Scarlett said. “I just want to find my sister and get home in time for my wedding.”

“That’s a problem, then.” Julian picked up the knob once again. “If you want to find your sister before you leave, you have to win the game.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Let me guess, you didn’t look at the clue I gave you?”

“All my clue said was Donatella’s name.”

“Are you certain?” he challenged.

“Of course. I just didn’t realize it was a clue. I thought Legend—” Scarlett caught her mistake too late.

Julian’s lips were curving into that same mocking twist that appeared whenever she mentioned Legend’s name—even though she hadn’t finished her witless thought.

Scarlett double-checked the note attached to her key. The only words on the note were her sister’s name, but below that was a wide swath of empty space. Crossing over to the closest stained-glass candled lamp, Scarlett held the page up as Tella had done with the tickets from Legend. Sure enough, new lines of elegant script appeared.

After a moment the poem disappeared, and a new set of words took its place.

Scarlett’s dream must have been more than just a delusion. Legend really wanted her here. She recalled what the boy in the balcony had said: Once inside, you will be presented with a mystery that must be solved.

Figuring out where Tella had been taken must be this year’s mystery. That’s why so many people had been rummaging through her room; they were all searching for Tella as well. The note didn’t say what would happen to Tella if no one found her, but Scarlett knew her sister didn’t plan on going back to Trisda once the game ended.

If Scarlett didn’t find her, Tella would vanish just like their mother had. If she wanted to see her sister again, Scarlett really did have to remain and play.

But Scarlett couldn’t stay for the entire game. She was supposed to marry the count in six days, on the twentieth. There were five nights of Caraval, but it would take two full days of travel to return to Trisda. For Scarlett to make it home in time for her wedding, she would have to solve all the clues and find Tella before the last night of the game.

“Don’t look so distressed,” said Julian. “If your sister is with Legend, I’m sure she’s being treated well.”

“How do you know that?” Scarlett said. “You didn’t hear her; she sounded so frightened.”