Scarlet and Tella gets invited to go to Caraval. Caraval is an intense, dangerous, and magical, game that they have been wanting to go to since they were little kids. But Scarlet doesn't want to go because she doesn't want to risk being caught by their abusive father. Tella kidnaps her with the help of a sailor that plans to help them escape to Caraval.
"Nothing we do is safe, but this is worth the risk. Julian can help us escape."
"I know where Caraval is, I can take you there."
When Scarlet arrives at the private island where Caraval takes place on, she finds out that they need to find Caraval before midnight or they are eliminated. Before they begin the game, Scarlet wants to find Tella. Although it is freezing on the island, all Scarlet can think about is if Tella is ok. Before dropping off Scarlet, the sailor named Julian first dropped off Tella on the island. Julian conviced Scarlet that Tella is already inside the game and that they need to follow the smoke.
"We need to find Tella. What if she is lost and freezing?"
"Your sister probably left to go find the entrance of Caraval. We only have to the end of the day to make it inside Caraval, which means we should follow the smoke, and then do the same."
After they arrived at the hotel they were staying at, Scarlet found out that her sister was kidnapped by the the first clue to winning Caraval is to find