Savage Run (22 page)

“
You scared me!” I
say.

He hugs me back. “Well, I couldn’t just let
you continue the obstacle courses without me. And look at you, all
handsome.” He winks at me.

I think about the last conversation I had
with him and how we had shared our deepest, darkest secrets. My
heart swells in my chest for him and I feel like I need to protect
him—from what, I’m not so sure. His leg looks like new and he looks
exactly the way he did before the obstacles started: red, curly
hair, light eyebrows, and a wide grin on his face.

“
Back to bed with you,” Mai
says to Arthor. “You need to rest up before the second phase starts
tomorrow.” She takes the wheelchair from the paramedics and wheels
him into the bedroom.

“
This isn’t necessary,”
Arthor says begrudgingly on the way to the room.

I follow after.

“
We had a deal,” Mai says.
“You promised to rest if we’d allow you to compete.”

Arthor hops into bed and huffs.

“
Are you sure he can’t
come?” I ask Mai, seeing he’s back to his old self.

“
No. The medication needs
to run through his system, and while he appears and feels
completely recuperated, he still needs his rest. I’ll be staying
with him to make sure he gets it.”

Mai lets me stay in her room while we wait
for the fundraiser to start. I change out of my tuxedo and slip on
my light blue Savage Run outfit. Glued to Arthor’s side, I watch
him drift back to sleep. Soon I, too, find my eyelids feeling
unusually heavy and lie down next to him. Within moments, I’m out.
When Mai wakes me up, she says it’s an hour until the fundraiser
starts. I’ve slept for at least seven hours.

Once I’ve changed back into my tuxedo, I go
out into Mai’s living area. Nicholas is tying on his shoes and is
wearing a black tuxedo nearly identical to mine. But one of the
differences is that he looks really handsome in his—like he was
born to wear such a fine suit. His hair, combed slick to the side,
appears darker than usual, making him seem years older, and there’s
something about him being dressed so formally that has me
weak-kneed.

“
Ready?” he says, standing
up and pulling his jacket down.

I really wish I were wearing a dress right
now, not this man-suit. I roll my eyes. “Sure.”

“
You look great,” he
says.

I can’t tell if he’s being serious or if
he’s just trying to make me feel better—either of which I don’t
want. For some reason I find myself wanting to look nice for him. I
shake the thought out of my head.

We take the elevator down to the foyer where
many of the participants have gathered. Tuxedos range in color from
white to red to green, to pink, to black. The moment I see Johnny
in the hotel lobby, I remember our little incident on the roof. And
he’s Nicholas’s half brother. How did he end up being such a jerk?
He wears a smug grin, and glares me down from across the room as if
he owns me. I want to claw his eyes out, but it will be stupid to
infuriate him more since there will be no one to protect me once
I’m out in the obstacle courses again.

The participants from Culmination fly
together in a hovercraft to the Dovre Manor—the castle where the
fundraiser will be held. There are only seven of us left, including
Arthor, and I see that Danny and Timothy made it. The others I
don’t know the names of, but I’m sure I’ll get to know them
tonight. I should be jumping up and down, having survived over all
the others, but instead, I think about all the families who lost
their sons and how most likely, I won’t be participating in the
next fundraiser. Next time my seat will be empty.

“
The Savage Run event
coordinator has flown in female students from the University
Trollheim. You may dance with, speak with, and take walks with
these young women, but nothing more. Men, be at your best
behavior.” Nicholas glances over at me, probably knowing how
awkward the evening will be, and already is, for me.

We approach the Dovre Manor—a gray stone
castle with two circular towers and a drawbridge, allowing crossing
over the murky moat. A hedge maze is behind the building, and the
shape of the Savage Run wreath is mowed into the front lawn. The
hovercraft lands on a helipad, and not wanting to attract attention
to myself, I wait until everyone else has gotten out. When I step
out, fireworks light up the still light sky and the hundreds of
formally dressed people standing on the lawn cheer for us.

I hope no one will notice me.

I follow Nicholas toward the castle, but
don’t get far.

“
You’re Joseph, right?” a
platinum blonde, middle-aged woman asks as she grabs my
elbow.

I stop and nod, anxiously watching the
others continue on.

“
Excuse my intrusion, but
we came all the way from Normark just so we could be here tonight,
and you were one of the participants we wanted to meet. My husband,
Dr. Konders…” She gestures to the dark, lanky man with a mustache
standing right next to her. “…and all our friends were so impressed
by your bravery that we decided to donate a good little chunk of
change to the Savage Run on your behalf.”

“
Indeed,” Dr. Konders says.
“Nicholas has been heavily involved in getting us to commit. I was
skeptical that the program could do what he claimed: be a catalyst
in bringing equality to Newland. Until the moment I saw you. After
you—an emaciated little slave boy—showed up all those muscle heads
out there I believe I witnessed the beginning of the end of your
hierarchical society.” He raises his glass to me.

“
Thank you, Sir,” I
say.

Mrs. Konders continues. “You are such an
example to everyone who has dreamt of becoming something more.
Finally, a man who doesn’t shrink in the face of the
impossible.”

I want to sink into the earth; I doubt they
would tell me that if they knew who I really am.

“
Besides, our daughter just
loves competing in obstacle courses,” Dr. Konders says. “Now
personally, I don’t think it’s quite the womanly thing to
do—”

“
Edgar!” Mrs. Konders
smiles and pats his arm.

“—
but if it makes her
happy, then let her compete.”

“
That’s amazing.” My eyes
widen.

“
That’s right—equal
rights,” Mrs. Konders says. “We believe in freedom, and it is so
great that President Volkov has started to make changes in that
direction. We were wondering when he’d finally catch up.” She
laughs a little. “And to have such a liberal thinker as Nicholas
soon to take over the presidency, that’s a true
blessing.”

“
Indeed! We brought a
couple of friends tonight, and they, too are donating on your
behalf.” Dr. Konders pulls out a gold-plated watch from his pocket,
checking the time.

“
It was a true honor
meeting you. Sorry we kept you. You should probably catch up with
your group,” Mrs. Konders says. “Good luck out there, Joseph. We
believe in you. And if you ever need anything, please don’t
hesitate to contact us.”

Dr. Konders hands me a card with his contact
information.

“
Thank you.” It’s becoming
apparent that Nicholas has supporters, too, and though he is still
at the mercy of his father, bound to obey his every rule, Nicholas
is building an empire for himself, in his own way.

With my eyes lowered so I don’t have to talk
to anyone else, I walk across the wooden bridge and enter the
castle’s foyer. I walk toward the sign that reads “Great Hall,” and
enter a large room with a sea of roundtables and golden chairs.
Each table is decorated with yellow and purple flowers that sparkle
and millions of twinkling lights hang from the dark wooden beams in
the ceiling. Beautiful music streams through the room. I see
President Volkov sitting at one of the tables, and I remember that
Mai said he was so impressed I made it. I desperately hope he
doesn’t make me get up on stage again. Dr. and Mrs. Konders pass me
and join President Volkov at his table. I feel sick to my
stomach.

Nicholas steps up next to me. “Chopin.”

“
What?”

“
That’s who they’re
playing.” He nods his head in the direction of the string quartet
in the corner.

I listen for a moment over the hushed
chatter, and the tune helps me relax. “It’s lovely.”

“
Let me show you to our
table,” he says.

“
Okay.”

Our table has a golden plaque on it
inscribed with ‘Culmination.’ Each setting has three forks, a
spoon, two knives, three different-sized glasses, a cloth napkin,
and a place card. Taking my seat, I notice I sit between Nicholas
and Timothy, and not next to Johnny—he sits across from me. Thank
goodness.

“
I swear I know you from
somewhere,” Timothy says, running a hand through his curly blond
locks. “But I just can’t put my finger on it.”

“
Really?” I say. “Because I
remember everyone I meet, and I can guarantee you that I’ve never
met you before.” I sip my water, making sure I hold my glass like a
guy. And sit like a guy. Gosh, I feel so out of place. I even think
I see Johnny laughing at me, and sure enough, when I turn to look
at him, he’s sneering and staring me down. But I quickly look
away.

“
I thought we could each
take a moment to introduce ourselves to each other,” Nicholas says.
“As I understand, some of you haven’t been introduced. Tell us your
name, your class, and the reason you registered for Savage Run.
Let’s start with Johnny.”

Johnny keeps his eyes on me. “I’m
Johnny—Advisor. Soon to be Master. I believe you all know why I’m
here, but I can say it again. I’m here to help my sickly
grandmother.”

When he says the word “grandmother,” his
voice softens just a tad.

“
I’m Abraham, but you can
call me Abe. Advisor.” He has huge lips, small, black, beady eyes,
and his skin is a deep espresso. “I’m here ‘cause my mamma kicked
me outta the house. Said I needed to make my own
livin’.”

We laugh a little, but I notice how when he
laughs, his eyes still look sad.

We skip Nicholas because we all know who he
is. “I’m Joseph—Laborer.”

“
Aka, the Imp,” Johnny
inserts.

I narrow my eyes at him. “Very funny. I’m
here because I don’t want to work with my father anymore.” It’s a
safe answer, and it’s true; no one should be able to figure out who
my father is or who I am from that comment.

“
Just out of curiosity,
what does your father do?” Timothy asks.

“
He works at the hospital.”
Many Laborers work there cleaning and cooking. It should be a safe
enough answer, but it worries me how Johnny’s dissecting me with
his eyes.

“
Next,” Nicholas
says.

“
I’m Timothy and I’m an
Advisor.” His transparent, green eyes remind me of a fish’s. “I’m
here…I don’t know why. I was just bored with my life, I
guess.”

We laugh.

“
I’m Danny, an Advisor.
Here to make the family proud. Here so my kids can grow up without
the restrictions I’ve fought all my life.”

“
Dude, you’re already
planning to have kids?” Timothy asks.

“
Well, one day.”

“
Let’s keep going,”
Nicholas says.

“
And I’m Fletcher.” He
grins and reveals crooked teeth. He is almost as small as Arthor,
making me think that maybe he is a Laborer, too. “I’m an Advisor
and I’m here because I want to become a doctor.”

Just as we finish, the lights dim, signaling
that the program starts. A female announcer takes the stage,
welcoming us to Dovre Hall, explaining that this very castle is
thought to have been built on the graveyard of trolls. She
specifically welcomes the benefactors of the Savage Run, and hopes
they all brought their checkbooks tonight. The gathering laughs.
Referring to the programs on our plates, she says first we are to
eat, after which we’ll head to the ballroom where there will be
dancing and socializing.

While she’s speaking, my eyes wander from
Nicholas to Johnny, back to Nicholas again. They don’t look alike
at all. Johnny’s face looks like it’s permanently locked in this
sour expression, while Nicholas seems to have a smile waiting to
appear at any time. Other than the dark hair, there are no
similarities. I think I remember that President Volkov had dark
hair when he had some. Now he’s just bald.

The woman up on stage wishes us a wonderful
evening and leaves the stage. The first thing I’m going to do after
we eat is to find myself a secluded room so I don’t have to face
Johnny anymore or dance with a girl. That would just be too
weird.

“
So where’s Arthor?”
Timothy asks Nicholas. A waiter brings us each a plate with steak,
au gratin potatoes, and creamed carrots.

“
He’s recovering. He’ll be
back participating tomorrow,” Nicholas answers, taking his first
bite.

“
You know,” Johnny says
loudly, sawing at his meat. “It’s funny how we all chose to climb
Devil’s Cliff the legit way, and how Joseph cheated his way up the
mountainside.”

I groan inwardly. Great—here we go again.
“What I did was perfectly legit. We were all informed about the
shortcuts before we started.”

“
It’s just a trap to see
who will take the easy way out. Didn’t you figure that out?” Johnny
counters.

“
Or it could be a way to
see who’s smart enough to use the resources provided,” I
retort.