EXALTED (An Exalted Novel) (13 page)

Garret yells as loud as possible, “Don’t ever let me catch either one of you running away from a confrontation! You’re Exalted! You stay and fight! You kill!” He yanks my hair harder, pulling me to my feet. Then he shoves me away from him.

I fight tears back as I exit the Defender’s Course. I’ve never been so embarrassed—not even when Ryker made a comment about my appearance. I clutch my sore abdomen as I attempt to expel the sand from my mouth. I spit a dozen times. I even use my hand to wipe the inside of my mouth, but the sand inhabits parts of my mouth I didn’t even know existed. I get chills when the tiny granules grind between my teeth.

While my head is hung low in failure, I discover a perfectly straight line across my leg. Blood seeps from the cut. I glance behind me and see the culprit that caused my fall and injury. Garret rigged a clear fishing line across my path.

I avoid Ethan’s concerned glance as I pass him. I find myself too busy cleaning my wound to watch his last attempt of the day. It must not be going well, because he’s done before I even put my bandage on. He also has a bloody nose.

On our way to lunch, I ask Ethan how his last run on the course went.

“When they flicked on the lights, one of the assistants was lying in the sand, begging for food like a starving marauder. I leant over him to kill him, but he punched me in the nose. Then I was attacked from behind.” He’s somber, but he remembers I had a much more difficult last attempt. “Mena, are you okay?” He asks.

I appreciate his concern, but my pride is still damaged. “Of course, I am. That wasn’t anything new from Garret.”

He realizes that I don’t want to discuss it any further and changes the subject back to the Trials. “Do you think it will really be like that on our last Trial with the beggars and constant attacks? All the tricks?” Ethan attempts to take my hand, but pulls back when he remembers we’re in public.

“I don’t know. I mean, I guess so, if that’s what they’re training us to be able to handle.” I reply honestly, while wishing we were free to hold hands, if that’s what we want. I enjoy the comfort and security Ethan’s closeness provides. I could use more of it. The attempt of physical contact reminds me of the way my parents touch sometimes. I’ve only ever seen that affection in their home. It’s curious.

We stop at the schedule posting outside the gym doors to see when due for our next patrol. “What the hell?” I cover my mouth too late to block the profanity. Thankfully no one was around to hear my small outburst.

I must be hallucinating. The posting reads that Ethan and I are scheduled for patrol in two days at the North Gate—the North Gate, not the East Gate where we have been for weeks. The North Gate is where the animals are kept. There are no cornfields there. I feel panicked. The gray walls seem to be closing in on me. They’re suffocating me. I pull at the collar of my shirt to get it off my closing airway.  

Ethan lowers his voice and says, “What’s the matter with you? The harvest was today. They won’t need the extra help over there anymore.”

“Nothing. I just don’t want to work by those filthy animals.” I don’t want Ethan to know I’m upset about another guy, but I am upset. I hadn’t even considered getting pulled from East Gate patrol.
How will Ryker find me?
Dread swallows me whole.

The surprising change of events temporarily removes my focus from the Ryker dilemma. With the Trials beginning so soon, we need to train as much as possible. I stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the trainees in our afternoon combat class. Outside, rain has started to come down in sheets. It hammers the metal roof of the gymnasium, putting an eerie disquiet in the room—at least for me it does.

Force strides into the gym. He stands before us and announces, “Combat Training is officially over. For the remaining few days before the Trials, we will be focusing on your survival skills. You’ll need them for the Third Trial. You’ll learn how to live off the land and how to survive the elements.” He looks each of us in the eyes. “Understood?”

“Yes, sir!” We shout together.

I’m concerned because I feel that I still require extra combat training. I need to improve in that area before the Second and Third Trial. However, I was also starting to worry about the survival aspect of the last Trial. I know I need that knowledge to survive, but getting beat to death tends to scare me a little more than eating the wrong mushroom.

“Gather round.” Force instructs. “I’m going to demonstrate how each of you can make a fire, using flint and steel. You will all be provided with one pack of matches and flint. Should you lose your matches or get them wet, you’ll need an alternate solution for making fire. Know that your flint can get wet and still work.” As Force continues on, I think about this lesson, and how it’s probably something that’s taught to children in Ryker’s village.
How is it that I’m 17 years old and have no knowledge of making a fire?

Millie sneaks into the room. She joins the class to demonstrate what Force says is a potentially lifesaving technique. “Strength be with you all. Gather round.” She extends her elegant, powerful arm gesturing for us to come closer. Her beauty is breathtaking.

She swiftly unpacks her supplies. “I will demonstrate how to make a fire. I’m going to do it in this metal fire pit, so we don’t burn the building down. When you’re outside of the Republic, you can each build your fires right on the ground. River Birch bark, paper, and thin twigs make great kindling materials.” She places these things into a small pile in the pit. She passes several pieces of the River Birch bark around the class, so we can become familiar with that particular type of tree. I take note that this is not something that grows inside of the Republic’s walls. “You’ll also need larger pieces of wood. Make sure you don’t get anything lying around that could be damp.” Around the kindling she adds the firewood, propping the larger wood pieces up in a teepee shape.

“Find a flat, dry stone to hold your magnesium shavings.” Using a sharp knife, Millie scrapes slivers of magnesium off the back of her flint onto the flat stone. Her movements are elegant and precise. “Now, flint side up, strike until you get an orange glow.” She turns the flint over and strikes her knife against it in a downward motion. The magnesium ignites after several tries. She adds it to the kindling to get her fire started.

Of course, she has to quickly put it out because we are indoors, but for a moment I could almost imagine myself living outside of these walls in the wild. The idea of being free, living where I want to live, Uniting with whom I choose, and even eating what I want is becoming more and more enticing as the days pass.

Each of the Exalted trainees gets a turn. We are allowed to use the pocket-sized flint to start our own fire in the pit. I prove to be surprisingly good at it. It must be because I’m already so familiar with the feel of a knife.

* * *

At dinner, Ethan joins Val and me. This attracts Az and Kinah to our table. Of course, Az sits next to me, a little too close. “Saw you two got switched to the North Gate,” he comments.

Ethan looks up at me, but keeps his mouth shut, waiting for me to answer Az. “Yes. We start in two days. We’re at an advantage since we’re getting experience in two areas.” I look at Kinah when I say the last part. That statement will be a challenge to her. Az will just think it’ll improve my chances of finishing first with him.

“Az and I have been patrolling at the West Gate. I think that will give us the upper hand. Not only are we watching the grounds, but we have to check every tree to make sure no one is hiding in them.” Kinah tries to one-up me.

“Good,” I simply respond.

I turn my attention back to Val. I want to know what to expect from the North Gate. She’ll have answers, since she’s been assigned to that territory since we started. “What’s the North Gate like?” I inquire.

“Noisy. Smelly. Dirty.” Her eyes glass over as she grasps for adjectives. “You have to be very observant out there. All the animal noises throw off your sense of hearing. Everything smells awful, so you have no way of catching the scent of an un-bathed marauder in the air.”

“I’ve never thought about that. Thanks, Val.” I’m thrilled to gain this experience. It will make me even better. “My father doesn’t talk much about working there, so I didn’t know what to expect.”

Ethan has a question of his own for Val. “What’s Brian like?” Brian is the Exalted we will be reporting to in two days.

“He’s strong, and he carries the biggest sword I’ve ever seen. He’s a first place Exalted.” Val doesn’t have too much to say about him. This is disappointing since she usually has too much to say. I guess Az and Kinah’s presence is keeping her quiet tonight.

Edging back into the conversation, Kinah seeks more information on how I’m progressing. “So Mena, how’s the Defender’s Course treating you?” she asks me. Kinah’s acting blasé about it by not looking directly at me. She’s staring at her broccoli instead.
Why would she think I would actually talk to her about my progress?

“I’m not discussing that with you. You should know better than to ask,” I say bluntly.
As if I’m really going to tell her about everything I’ve done wrong or right. She’s got some nerve.

Kinah’s chest puffs out, and she sits a little taller after my straightforward answer. She must think my answer is a good sign—a sign that I’m not doing very well.

Az must think the same, because he slams his hand on the table. He barks, “You had better not fail, Mena!” He’s not angry, he’s just showing his authority or masculinity—whatever it is, I’m not interested. I find myself wanting to laugh at him. I tuck my face in the crook of my arm and pretend to cough to cover the chuckle that escapes.

After I recover, I tell him, “I am going to win this Az, so your plans of us being United will all depend on how well you do. Do your best and perhaps we
will
be together.” I say all of this just to get at Kinah. Of course, I don’t really want to be United with Az, but I couldn’t help myself.

The public display of intentions disagrees with Kinah and she leaves the table, storming out of the cafeteria and knocking over one of the cook citizens. It’s amusing. She wants to be first and she doesn’t want to get beaten by me, a smaller girl with lower ranking parents.

“I can’t stand her.” Az admits to us before leaving.

Water nearly shoots out of my nose upon hearing Az’s declaration. Ethan kicks my leg under the table, informing me to get a handle on myself. I cup my hand over my face and swallow my mouthful as best as I can. I cough.

“Went down the wrong pipe,” I say as I try to recover from the laugh that surely would have escaped. I’m grateful for the water that was in my mouth. I wipe up the mess I made and keep my head down for the remainder of our meal.

* * *

I lie in bed, after the darkness has taken over the light, and stare at the ceiling. I fantasize that there are stars twinkling above me, flickering in and out. In the Third Trial I may be sleeping under the stars, but I won’t feel as relaxed and secure as I do now. There will be any number of things that could happen during the night . . . or day. There may be ravenous wild animals or marauders searching for the weak. I’ve heard that some of the marauders travel in gangs. They’re responsible for some of the Exalted that don’t return home.

Fear is slowly starting to make its way into my system as the Trials rapidly approach. Fear concerning Ryker also mixes in. I hope he looks for me at the North Gate, but he did say at our last meeting that he would see me after the First Trial. It’s not the First Trial that frightens me; it’s the ones that come after. I still don’t know how I will be able to physically fight my friend, Val. Hopefully we won’t get paired against one another. 

So many thoughts swirl in my head, like water circling the drain. I’m unable to make sense of any of it. Eventually sleep takes me.

On the last morning before the Trials begin, we are all required to report to the medical citizens for our weekly measurements. Lately I’ve been feeling a little more brazen toward the Republic, beginning with the day I stole the corn in the field. I haven’t acted out since then, but standing here this morning with this zombie-woman poking at me—while I’m practically nude—I tempt fate.

I clear my throat. “So, do citizens take the Pump too?” I ask her. My body clenches up as I wait for her response. I don’t know whether she’ll just answer or if she’ll report me.

A tiny feminine voice escapes her lips. “We take a supplement, yes. But it’s not called the Pump. Only Exalted take the Pump, to make you stronger. Citizens are not strong.” She is very robotic in her answer, as if the computer behind her was the one really speaking.

“What’s it called?” I inquire.

“We don’t have a name for it like you do. It’s just a supplement. It’s purple, the same as yours.” The petite woman finishes taking my measurements and then dismisses me. “Exit, please.”

I dress, leave the examining room, and stride down the gray hall towards weapons training class. A purple pill—sounds pretty familiar. I guess the Republic and Dr. Fredericks are giving them the same thing as the Exalted. Close to the same thing anyway.

This moment—I’ve been waiting for this moment. The medical citizen’s comments tip me over the edge. I vow to put a stop to this somehow. I don’t know when or how I will make it happen, but I will. People should be free to feel and love. They should have full use of their minds and be able to experience life as it was meant to be experienced.