The testing staff could always break the pattern just by arbitrarily demoting people, or punishing people for gaming the system in the first place, but it's his only good idea. Or, at least, his only idea that seems like it could work at all.

Steven nods a little, still feeling dazed and distracted. They're already halfway through this testing cycle, and he's not sure what will happen if people fail twice in a row. He grips his belly again.

"I just don't want to fight each other. Childermass said that he thought they were going to try to make us do that, because that's what the Winter Court is like."

And with these trials being the alternative to screwing people over... hoo boy. He slowly starts picking fruit again, his hands feeling clumsy and numb, ruminating on it all.