Their Vicious Games(43)

“Dr. Remington has arrived,” Mr. Caine announces unnecessarily.

She claps her hands.

“Well, ladies. You have taken on the challenge of the Finish admirably thus far. You have demonstrated strength and commitment. Your hard work is commendable. Now it is time to put that work to the test,” Leighton declares. “The Ride is a symbol for the journey you have ahead. Not in the Finish, but far beyond. Life will be a series of obstacles, some larger than others, and you will always be in competition with someone faster, stronger, and better. It is acknowledging your shortcomings and pushing forward past them that matters the most. Some will rise to the occasion. Some will fall. Here, we weed out the weak from the strong. Here, we see who finishes first. Let us begin.”

She turns on her heel and descends, leading us to the grounds. Leading some of us to our potential deaths, whether at the obstacles or from our competitors. The sudden reminder of Penthesilea’s warnings make me shake and the idea of any of the other girls being like Esme makes me almost retch, so that suddenly, I’m glad I was too nervous to eat breakfast.

I stick close to Saint’s side and she to mine as we’re led out of the Remington mansion. In the fresh air, away from the fortresslike walls, I entertain the idea of running again.

But these grounds are so open, and they go for miles. I know I wouldn’t make it far.

In the stables, Saint pats my hand and then she disappears down the barn to find her own horse. I go into my stall with Starlight and Princess, ignoring Hannah G’s incessant cooing.

“Hey, Starlight,” I whisper, leaning in to press my head to her snout. She bumps me and I laugh. “You ready? We’re gonna make it through, you and me. Promise.” But I don’t know if I’m promising her or asking her to promise me.

Suddenly, there’s a quick rap on the stall wall, and I turn.

“Graham,” I murmur, relieved.

“Graham,” Hannah G says. She barely looks at him. He’s not the important brother, and so as per usual, she gives him the bare minimum.

I wrap an arm over Starlight’s back and smile weakly. “Here to wish me luck?”

“No. Here to make sure that you don’t fucking die,” Graham whispers. He grabs my saddle from the wall. “Come on.” He’s already walking down the stable, past Starlight. I slide into the next stall, and gape at the horse inside. He’s enormous, so much bigger than Starlight, and so much more impressive. “We’ll fake like Starlight is sick, okay, so no one will suspect you’re being helped.”

This, I realize, is Pierce’s version of “help.”

It doesn’t surprise me that Pierce’s horse is a white one.

“No,” I whisper, shaking my head.

Graham acts as if he hasn’t heard me, sliding the saddle onto the horse’s back.

“What are you talking about? Widow Maker is a thoroughbred, trained to be the very best. He’ll take you far,” Graham insists. “Most importantly, he’ll take over if you falter. He knows the way.”

The name “Widow Maker” does surprise me.

“Maybe, but I’ve never ridden him. I… I can’t,” I say. Graham is about to buckle the saddle together, so I reach forward, grabbing his wrist, yanking him back. I must take him so much by surprise that he stumbles and nearly falls back into me.

“What do you mean, you can’t?” he spits. “Are you taking this seriously? You could die.”

“Yeah, so could anyone,” I retort. “Jacqueline isn’t even using a saddle.”

“Jacqueline was stupid enough to think that Pen is a pushover,” Graham says sharply. “You’re not stupid.” It feels like he’s calling me stupid if I refuse, and that makes rage flare in my stomach.

“I’m not going to ride him. I’m going to ride Starlight,” I insist. I grab the saddle from him, clutching it to my chest as my heart sinks. This is not the help I was hoping for. “Just… trust me.”

“I do trust you. I don’t trust the rest of those bloodthirsty creatures out there. They’re going to eat you alive. I thought maybe some of them would be different, but they aren’t. They will lie and steal and kill,” Graham presses.

“How would you know? You didn’t have a Finish.”

Graham’s eyes narrow. “I know the women in my family.”

“Your aunt already wants me to win. She’d have given me this horse at the start if she thought it was best. I’m not your responsibility,” I say simply.

Graham groans. “You’re starting to feel like one.”

I roll my eyes because I can’t help it as I stalk out past him, rejoining Starlight to saddle her. I focus on her to calm my nerves, but Graham’s claiming responsibility for me keeps creeping into my thoughts. Our relationship is based on his teaching me to ride. He’s self-righteous and arrogant and none of it is charming, not like it might be on someone else. Sure, he’s patient. And sure, he has actually helped me, even though he’s an ass about it.

But he’s the wrong brother. The other brother, I remind myself.

I shake it away. It doesn’t matter now. I have to focus.

I step up into the stirrup and swing my foot over Starlight. I slide into the saddle and sit up taller. Graham stands against the far wall, watching me. He looks small from this angle, and he looks afraid. Somehow, seeing him afraid makes me feel less so.