Scarlett couldn’t think clearly. She wondered if this was how Tella felt around Legend. Befuddled and bewildered. “If I do this, you promise you won’t hurt my sister?”

“You have my word.” Legend X-ed a pale finger over his heart. “If you walk to the rim of the balcony, I swear, on my amazing life, I will not touch your sister again.”

“And promise me you won’t let anyone else?”

Legend raked Scarlett over with his eyes, from the ripped sleeve of her dress to her naked feet. “You’re not really in a position to make deals.”

“Then why are you making a deal with me?”

“I want to see how far you’re willing to go.” His tone turned syrupy with curiosity, but the look he gave her was pure challenge. “If you’re not willing to do this, you’ll never be able to save her.”

To Scarlett it sounded as if he said, If you’re not able to do this, you don’t love her enough.

Purposefully, Scarlett started toward the edge of the balcony. Night air swept around her ankles as she drew closer, and even though Scarlett had never feared heights, she felt dizzy as she dared to look down at the specks of light and dots of people, and the solid ground that would show no mercy if she—

“Stop!” Legend yelled.

Scarlett froze, but Legend continued to shout, filling his voice with artificial terror, making it crack in all the right places. “Donatella, hurry, your sister is trying to jump.”

“No!” Scarlett hollered. “I’m not—”

A warning look from Legend cut her off. “Say another word, and you have no guarantees from me.”

But a promise from him meant nothing. She’d been a fool to believe anything he’d said. He’d driven her to the edge to push her further from Tella, who looked stricken when she reappeared with the rope.

“Scarlett, please, don’t jump!” Tella’s face was red and splotchy.

“I wasn’t going to jump,” Scarlett insisted.

“I’m so sorry—she convinced me to let her go,” Legend said. “Then she said if she jumped she’d wake up from the game.”

“Daniel, it’s not your fault,” Tella said. “Scar, please, step away from the ledge.”

“He’s lying!” Scarlett yelled. “He’s the one who made me go to the edge—he said if I did, he wouldn’t hurt you.” Scarlett realized too late this only made her sound more insane. “Tella, please, you know me; you know I wouldn’t do something like that.”

Tella sucked on her lower lip, looking torn once more, as if deep down Tella believed her sister wasn’t suicidal.

“I love you, Scar, but I know this game does strange things to people.” Tella handed her coil of rope to Legend. He lowered his head dramatically, as if this pained him, too.

“No!” Scarlett wanted to back away, but the edge of the balcony was behind her. The cruel night hungering to swallow her up if she fell.

She shot forward instead, trying to outrun Legend, but he moved like a viper. One hand wrapped around her wrists. He used the other to shove her into a chair.

“Let me go!” Scarlett tried to kick, but Tella was there as well, working to bind Scarlett’s flailing ankles, while Legend secured her arms and chest to the chair. Scarlett could feel Legend’s breath against her neck, hot as he whispered too low for Tella to hear, “Wait until you see what I do next.”

“I will kill you!” Scarlett screamed.

“Maybe we should get her a sedative?” asked Tella.

“No, I think this should hold her long enough.” Legend tugged on the rope a final time, slicing through Scarlett’s breathing.

A hidden door in the back opened, and Legend’s maniacal smile returned as Scarlett’s father, along with Count Nicolas d’Arcy, walked through. The governor strode forward purposefully, head high, shoulders straight, as if he were an honored guest. The count appeared interested in only one person—Scarlett.

“Tella!” Scarlett’s panic escalated.

For the first time there was a flicker of fear in Tella’s face as well. “What are they doing here?”

“I invited them.” Legend waved an arm magnanimously toward Scarlett, who continued struggling against the rope, while the two men stepped closer.

“All tied up and ready to go, as promised,” said Legend.

“Daniel, what are you doing?” Tella whispered.

“You really should have listened to your sister.” Legend stepped to the side as Governor Dragna and Count Nicolas d’Arcy closed in on Scarlett.

The count had cleaned up since she’d seen him last. His black hair was combed, and he’d changed into a fresh garnet-red tailcoat. He peered down at Scarlett and shook his head as if to say, I told you so.

“Can I keep the rope?” the governor asked, his eyes full of retribution.

“Daniel, tell them to stay away from us!” Tella cried.

“Oh, Donatella,” Legend said. “Stupid and stubborn until the end. There is no Daniel DeEngl. Though it was enjoyable pretending.” Legend laughed perversely. The same awful sound Scarlett had first heard in the tunnels.

Splinters dug into Scarlett’s arms while she battled to free herself from the ropes.

Tella didn’t say another word, but Scarlett could see her sister crumbling. Growing smaller and younger and turning suddenly fragile as she continued to stare up at Legend the way Scarlett imagined she’d gazed at Julian when she’d first learned the truth about how he’d deceived her. Believing but not accepting. Waiting for an explanation that Scarlett knew would never come.