“But, if you’ve been up here all this time, how did you ever meet?”

“I wasn’t up here this entire time.” Tella’s cheeks took on the faintest pink blush and Scarlett recalled the man’s voice she’d heard coming from Tella’s room after the end of that first night. “I was with Daniel when I was abducted for the game. He actually tried to fight them off, but they just took him as well.” She smiled as if it were the most romantic thing that had ever happened to her.

“Tella, this is wrong,” Scarlett said. “You can’t be in love with someone you just met.”

Tella flinched, the hue of her cheeks deepening into an angrier red. “I know you’ve been through a lot. So I’m not going to point out that you were going to marry someone you’d never even met.”

“That was different.”

“I know, because unlike you, I actually know my fiancé.”

“Did you say fiancé?”

Tella nodded proudly.

“You’re not serious,” Scarlett said. “When did he ask you to marry him?”

“Why aren’t you happy for me?” Tella’s expression fell, like a doll Scarlett had dropped.

Scarlett bit back her first five responses.

“Scar, I know I’ve prayed for some awful things, the types of things angels don’t do, but I’ve also prayed for something exactly like this. I might be able to get a boy to follow me into the barrel room, but until Daniel, no one had ever actually cared about me.”

“I’m sure this Daniel person seems wonderful,” Scarlett said carefully. “And I want to be happy for you, I really do. But doesn’t this seem a little coincidental? I keep thinking, maybe Legend is just playing a different game with you, and what if this Daniel is part of it?”

“He’s not,” Tella said. “I know you don’t have a lot of experience with men, but I do, and trust me when I say my relationship with Daniel is very real.” Tella took a sharp step back, feet pale against the dark onyx floor as she plucked a silver bell from one of the cushioned lounges.

“What are you doing?” Scarlett asked.

“I’m ringing for Daniel so you can meet him and see for yourself.”

The door opened and Jovan appeared, looking like a rainbow in the same colorful outfit she’d worn the first night, on the unicycle. “Oh, hello.” She perked up when she saw Scarlett. “You’ve finally found your sister.”

“You can’t trust her,” Scarlett whispered to Tella. “She works for Legend.”

“Of course she works for Legend,” Tella said. “Forgive my sister, Jo, she’s still caught up in the game. She thinks Legend is out to kill us both.”

“Are you certain she’s wrong?” Jovan winked as if she was joking, but when her eyes cut to Scarlett her playfulness vanished.

“Did you see that?” Scarlett said. “She knows!”

Tella ignored her. “Can you fetch Lord DeEngl for me, please?”

Before Scarlett could protest, Jovan nodded and disappeared the way she’d come, through a hidden door tucked into the back wall.

“Tella, please,” Scarlett begged. “We need to get out of here. You have no idea how dangerous this is. Even if you’re right about Daniel, it’s still not safe. Legend won’t let you be together.”

Scarlett paused and held out her hands, showing her sister all the precious blood once more. “See—this?” Her voice cracked. “This is real. Before I came up here, I watched Legend kill someone—”

“Or you thought you did,” Tella interrupted. “Whatever you believe you saw, I’m sure it wasn’t real. You keep forgetting, what happens down there is all part of the game. And I’m not running from Daniel because you got too caught up in it.”

Tella’s mouth formed a soft downward curve. “I know no one loves me more than you do, Scar, I’d be desolate without you. Please, don’t leave me now. And do not ask me to leave Daniel.” Tella’s lips shifted into a deeper frown. “Don’t make me choose between the two loves of my life.”

Two loves. Scarlett’s heart ached at her sister’s choice of words. Suddenly she was on the steps again, watching Julian’s head fall before his breathing stopped. She needed to find a way to bring him back, but she also had to get her sister safely out of this tower and far away from this balcony.

“Now,” Tella said brightly, as if everything were settled, though Scarlett had not uttered a word. “Help me become beautiful for Lord Daniel!” Tella skipped off toward her dressing area. “You might want to clean up as well,” she called. “I have some gowns that would look stunning on you.”

The night grew even darker as Scarlett remained rooted in place.

She knew she looked halfway to dead, and she was tempted to keep it that way. She liked the idea of frightening Tella’s fiancé. Scarlett liked the idea of leaving even more—but Tella was not the sort who’d run after Scarlett if she left. And what if Tella was right? Perhaps it was grandiose to assume the entire game revolved around the two of them. If her sister was correct, and Scarlett ruined this, Tella really would never forgive her.

But if Scarlett wasn’t crazy, and Julian was really dead, then Scarlett needed to retrieve her wish and save him.

Behind Tella’s dressing curtain, one wardrobe and multiple trunks were opened, overflowing with an assortment of clothes. Scarlett watched as her sister debated between several gowns.