EXALTED (An Exalted Novel)

by Elizabeth, Tara

  I turn and run.

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  The crowd stops stomping, shocked at what they think is me being weak. They are thinking that I’m not better than a citizen or an Ambassador. All is quiet except for Kinah’s grunting as she races behind me. She won’t catch me. Everyone knows I’m the fastest in our group. I run to the other tree and climb it like my life depends on it. From above, I scoot out as far as I can on one of the higher branches, and hurl a dagger in Kinah’s direction. I’m pleased to see it hit her shoulder as she runs toward the tree.

  Now that Kinah harbors several knife wounds, she finally starts to slow down. Slowing down for Kinah, doesn’t mean much. She’s still has a lot of fight in her. She lifts one of the boulders and starts hitting the base of the tree with it, just as she did in her fight with Val. Whoever put this course together must get pretty aggravated when the trainees knock the trees down, which is exactly what Kinah does for the second time. Fortunately, I’m prepared for it, unlike Val. I shift positions as the tree starts to fall. I jump and then tuck into a roll as the tree hits the ground.

  Kinah throws the boulder at me for good measure, but misses as I roll one more time out of the way. The cloud of sand that sprays up provides some cover as I get my feet back under me. I’m aching for this fight to be over. I want to win now—for myself and for my parents.

  I decide to risk all of my remaining daggers. I run straight for Kinah, throwing one after another until they are all gone. Her club is lifted high as she attempts to deliver a blow to my head, but she crumples over onto her hands and knees before she gets the chance. She drops her weapon on the ground. I hurry and kick it off to the side. Then I jump onto Kinah’s back.

  As I’m about to use my mock skinning knife to end her, she uses the back of her head to bash me in the face. My vision explodes, my nose makes a cracking noise, and my eyes immediately tear up. Blood splashes onto the back of Kinah’s black nanosuit. The deep red liquid pools on the dark fabric, and then it rolls away in small beads. Bizarrely, in all that’s going on, my mind still has time to register that the suits must be water resistant. They were probably created that way to protect the computer chips inside.

  I fall off her back, clutching my nose. I back away from her approaching form as I try to recover from the hit. We stand facing one another, both weaponless with fists ready. I wipe the arm of my suit under my nose to clear my blood filled nostrils. I prepare myself for the loss. I can’t win against Kinah in hand-to-hand combat. I know I can’t.

  Suddenly, I remember something Val said. She told Kinah that my left hook sucks. Thank you, Val.

  Kinah lunges for me, throwing her fist straight for my already broken nose. I stealthily duck under the flying arm and as I pop back up, I slam my left hand into her unguarded jaw. I’m shocked when Kinah falls over from my left hook. She’s not unconscious, but she’s close to it. She’s wildly blinking her eyes, trying to remain in control.

  I don’t dawdle. I scramble over behind my opponent, jump on her back again, and put her in a chokehold. Kinah tries to throw me off by standing and shaking me, but her body is too weak now. She’s having a hard time supporting my weight. She falls back onto a boulder, after stumbling over to it. Her weight crushing me, but I don’t release my hold. She eventually falls unconscious, causing the alarm to sound. They want me to let go, because of course if I didn’t, this kind of hold would eventually kill her. I don’t want to let go though. She hurt Val. I squeeze tighter for a second, but then concede and release my arm from her neck. I push her inanimate body off me. It flops to the sandy ground, scrapping against the boulder on the way down. I don’t feel bad about that.

  The roar of the crowd picks back up. They cheer for their female victor. The praise of the crowd, my future brethren, is addictive. I don’t rush off arena’s floor. Instead, I stay for a moment and look at all the appraising faces before me. I earned this. I’m two for two.

  There’s still the Third Trial. Will I return to cheers and live an honorable life here, or will I desert my people and consequently shame my parents and instructors? I know my parents would prefer me to leave, but do they really realize what that would mean for them?

  After too much thinking, the high of the applause has left me. I leave the arena floor to seek the attention of the medical citizens for my broken nose. I must be a pretty sight to behold. Mena, the bloody victor.

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  As I sit letting the female medical citizen snap my nose back into place and patch me up, I hear the male announcer call Ethan and Az’s names. They are the final match. I try to crane my neck around to see them around the wall of the medical area when the alarm sounds. The citizen quietly says without looking at me, “Please sit still. I will finish as quickly as possible.”

  Not wanting to cause a scene, I do as she says. She cleans the blood off my face. Then she checks my stomach where Kinah kicked me. I wince when she pokes at my flesh with her cold fingers. “You’ll have some bruising here tomorrow, but she kicked you too low for any broken ribs. I don’t suspect there’s any internal bleeding. You’ll be fine.” She’s devoid of any emotion while she diagnoses me, and she still won’t look me in the eye.

  Finally, she finishes. I run around the corner and discover that I missed the beginning of Ethan and Az’s fight. I keep running until I reach the seats where a few of the uninjured, female trainees sit watching. I join them, though I feel like standing. They nod at me in respect as I sit down next to them. It feels good to be respected by my peers.

  Out on the course, Az has Ethan in a headlock, but Ethan is pulling out his mock skinning knife. He maneuvers his body to the side and runs his blade along the inside of Az’s thigh. He hit Az’s femoral artery. Good job, Ethan. But how did he let Az get so close, so fast? What happened while I was getting medical attention?

  Az’s face twists in agony. He punches Ethan in the side with his free arm. As they struggle, Ethan jabs his knife into Az’s forearm. It causes Az to release Ethan from his hold. Az stumbles backward and lands next to his fallen ax. I missed how that weapon ended up on the ground.

  Ethan cockily walks right up to Az to deliver his deathblow, but Az delivers one first. From the ground, Az swings his ax right across Ethan’s legs. I stop breathing when my friend falls to the ground. I’m in disbelief. How did this happen? Again, Az swings his ax. He hits Ethan in the neck. Ethan’s face becomes distorted in a way I didn’t think possible. It’s horrifying.

  Beside him, Az slumps to the ground, while squeezing his mortally wounded leg. He passes out from the pain in seconds. If only Ethan hadn’t been so arrogant, he could have won given another minute.

  I close my eyes tight. I can’t believe Ethan lost! I won and Ethan lost! What does that mean for my future if I choose to stay in the Republic? Ethan will have to place first in the Third Trial (assuming I will place first in the end) for us to be United.

  I look at Ethan lying there motionless, as Az takes in his victory. He raises his mock ax to the spectators. I glance back at Ethan and start to panic. I realize that he might not recover from the seemingly real experience. My feet move me from my seat to the short wall that surrounds the course. I lean over it and watch as a medical citizen turns off Ethan’s nanosuit. Nothing happens.

  The medical citizen checks Ethan’s pulse. Then he pulls out something small from his pocket and runs it under Ethan’s nose. He jolts up in shock. It’s devastating to watch him as he runs his hands over his neck, and then reaches down to his legs to make sure they are still there too. He wiggles his feet and turns his head from side to side.

  I look around the stadium at all the Exalted, hoping that no one notices how long it’s taking Ethan to recover. No one seems to be aware of his struggle, except the medical citizen and me. They are all to busy praising their male victor.

  Finally, the medical citizen convinces Ethan to stand. I’m surprised that the citizen is allowing Ethan to rest against him as they walk out of the arena. I sneak my way o
ver to where he is being checked out. As the medical citizen checks Ethan’s real wounds, I whisper in his ear, “Are you okay? Is your head messed up?”

  “I feel strange,” he whispers back. “I’m sure I’ll be fine in a little while. Go back before someone notices.” He dismisses me with a hollow look in his eyes.

  Reluctantly, I leave him and return to the madness of the spectators. Before I reach my seat, someone hauls me off my feet and over the arena floor’s short wall. I try to squirm out of the hold, but it’s no use. Az plants me down next to him and grabs my hand, raising it high in the air with his. The crowd stomps louder than ever.

  I let him have his moment, and I then yank my hand away. I leave the stadium as fast as I can. This victory is bittersweet, because now everything depends on the Third Trial.

  THIRTY-NINE

  The morning after the Second Trial, I feel like I’ve taken multiple hits from Basav, the massive guard from the East Gate. I’m allowing myself to miss the morning run today, but I need to make it to breakfast as required by the Republic. I roll over in my bed, and an aching moan escapes as pain shoots across my stomach. Val’s bed is empty. Her sheets are tucked in and her pillow is centered, as regulation demands. I decide that I’ll go visit her in the infirmary after breakfast, which is sure to be awkward. I’m sad for my friend’s loss and hope her injuries aren’t too severe.

  I take my time in the shower, breathing in the steam as I try to clear my damaged nose. I take care to avoid it as I wash my face and hair. Fresh tears well up, in the corner of my eyes, when I accidentally touch the tender area.

  The bathroom mirror reveals a battered girl. My midsection is turning several shades of red and purple. They cover my abdomen in large splotches. The bridge of my nose is swollen and the skin under my eyes is bruised. Although battle wounds can be embarrassing, I will wear mine proudly. I won.

  I twist my hair up in a messy wet bun, get dressed, and head over to the cafeteria. The sky outside is overcast, setting the mood for the day. I can’t help but feel a dark cloud hover over my first place status. Why couldn’t it have been nice and sunny today like it was yesterday? Maybe it would have tricked me into not feeling so melancholy.

  In the cafeteria, I scan my thumb and walk up to the window to receive my meal. I almost squeal in delight when I see what comes out. They must have made a mistake. I duck my head under the window and ask the closest cook citizen, “Is this for me? I don’t usually get eggs and bacon.”

  He seems confused that I’ve spoken to him and instinctively backs away. I don’t leave until he answers me. He eventually says, “Yes, this is your prize for winning yesterday. This will be the only day you will receive this meal.” The cook citizen hurriedly turns away from me. He busies himself on the computer next to him and reads off the next meal order to the other cook citizens.

  Eggs and bacon! Why didn’t I get this when I won the First Trial? It doesn’t matter. I have it now. Things are looking up.

  I slide into an empty table and shovel in my fluffy eggs. I enjoy every single bite. I have to force myself not to moan or smile. The bacon is even more flavorful than the eggs. The smell has always been pleasing, but the taste is beyond words. It’s so salty and crispy. My mouth waters between each bite.

  I couldn’t care less about all the Exalted staring at me from the other tables. I only care about the meal before me. It even helps soothe my aching stomach muscles. After I finish, I want more.

  While drinking down my whole milk (instead of the usual skim), I take a good look around the silent room for the first time. A few of the trainees are missing besides Val. Ethan is one of them. I was so caught up in my glorious bacon that I didn’t even notice. Maybe they kept him in the infirmary overnight too. Oh, no! They’ll be monitoring him when they give him the Pump. I have to get over there, quick.

  Waiting for the medical citizens to pass out the Pump takes forever. I feel like they’re intentionally being slow today. I chew on the inside of my cheek to keep from running up there and grabbing it out of their tiny hands.

  When I eventually get mine, I pretend to pop it in my mouth and gulp the rest of my milk down. On my way to the tray return, I scratch my hip and slide the pill into my pocket. I’ve always wondered why we have pockets since we aren’t allowed to have any personal items. Lately I’ve been grateful for them.

  I leave my food tray and the cafeteria behind and head for the infirmary back in our housing building. On the main floor, I ask a medical citizen who is sitting at a large semi-circular desk, where I can find Valesca. She points to her left and says, “That way. Then down the hall on the right. She’s in room 104.”

  “Thank you. Is Ethan here as well?” I ask before leaving, because this is the only place he could be since he missed breakfast.

  “No one by the name of Ethan has arrived from the Trials.” She dismisses me by pointing to her left again. “That way,” she reminds me.

  I’m baffled by Ethan’s disappearance. Where could he be? He’s going to get in trouble when they realize he didn’t report to the morning meal. Maybe he’s already in trouble.

  My palms start to sweat as I leave the front desk and head, as directed, to the left for Val’s room. After a light knock to warn Val she has a visitor, I grasp the cool handle of her door and give it a turn. I let out a sigh of relief when I see that she is awake. I almost smile at her, but catch myself, partly because of the Republic, but mostly because of the thick bandaging around her head. She also has small scrapes covering her face and neck from when the tree branches broke her fall.

  I sit in a metal chair next to her bed and scoot it a little closer so Val won’t have to talk louder than she needs to. “How are you feeling?” I ask.

  “I’ve been better, but who cares. Tell me that you killed her. You did, didn’t you? Nobody here will tell me anything.” This is so typical of Val. She wants to know how the Trial finished over telling me if she’s going to be okay.

  I drop my head like I had a terrible loss. “Well . . . ”

  “Mena?”

  “Yes, I did. It was a very close fight.” I consciously try to choose the right words so Val doesn’t think something is wrong with me. I can’t tell her how amazing it feels. I can’t tell her how happy I was. So, I tell her, “It was a huge honor for me and my parents.”

  “Well done,” Val says. “I’ve wanted to know the outcome, but you know the citizens; they don’t get involved in any of the Exalted’s affairs. What about the male trainees, how did it end? Az, right?” Val messes with the gauze above her eye. As she speaks, the rise and fall of her eyebrow rubs across the bottom edge of the head bandage. She tries to tuck it up higher, but can’t manage.

  “Let me.” I lean over the bed and gently fold the loose piece up under the tighter part. Then, I reluctantly answer her question about the male trainees. “Yes. Az beat Ethan in the final match. He decapitated Ethan.”

  I change the subject because it’s too horrible to remember the look on Ethan’s face. “So what do they say about your head?” I ask while looking over my friend’s wounds. “Will you be able to compete in the Third Trial next week?”

  “They gave me a few stitches on my head. The skin is so thin up there that it just split apart when Kinah hit me. They said it looks worse than it is. They gave me some kind of healing accelerator. I have a mild concussion, which is why I’m still here, but I should be out tomorrow. And yes, I will be able to compete in the Third Trial.” Val seems resigned to being in the infirmary room. She looks me over, examining my swollen nose and new bruising. “Did Kinah do that to your face?”

  “Yes, but I got her back with that left hook you told her I had so much trouble with. Thanks for that.” I want so badly to be open with Val, thank her properly and comfort her for losing the Trial. I want to give her a hug, but she doesn’t need it. The Pump has eliminated the need for any comforting. It would only be for my benefit. Ethan and I need to tell her. It’s not fair to withhold something so big from her
.

  Ethan. Where is he? I ask Val about him. “Has Ethan been here to see you?”

  “No, why? Was he supposed to come by?” Val doesn’t suspect anything out of the ordinary from her fellow trainee.

  “Oh, he mentioned stopping by at some point. He just didn’t say when.” I gaze out of the window, wanting to escape the antiseptic smell of the infirmary. It’s suddenly becoming overwhelming.

  As I stand to leave, Val pushes herself out of the slouched position she’s been sinking further into since I arrived. She says, “I’ll see you back in the dorm tomorrow. Thank you for coming by—and for beating Kinah.”

  “No problem.” I tell her.

  * * *

  Where could Ethan be? I’m not scheduled for duty today, so I have nowhere to be except the scheduled meals. I aimlessly walk around the inside of the walled-in Republic, passing citizens who make room for me when I get too close. Exalted nod at me when they see me. They are acknowledging the Second Trial female victor.

  It doesn’t matter where I go, there’s no Ethan. I walk straight through the center of the Ambassadors’ courtyard. No one is outside to stop me or stare curiously at the lost Exalted trainee.

  With nowhere left to go before lunch, I make my way over to my old friend the magnolia tree. I climb her familiar branches and perch high up in her leafy embrace. People pass all around without noticing me as I notice them. Still, no Ethan.

  I gaze out over the East Wall, hoping to get a glimpse of the beyond, but all is quiet as usual. This week is going to take forever to pass, like waiting on rain to fall in the middle of a drought. One week until I get to see Ryker again. One week until the Third Trial. One week until I have to make the biggest decision of my life.