I woke up to Zaara's hair tickling my chin. For a moment, the weight of the games disappeared, and it felt like waking in a life we'd never lived. Warm sheets, soft breaths, the slow thud of her heart under my palm.
Then the speakers crackled overhead.
"GOOD MORNING, CONTESTANTS," the Voice boomed, shattering whatever fragile peace the night had offered.
Zaara jerked upright. I sat up beside her, blinking hard. Groans and startled cries echoed around the chamber as people dragged themselves from their bunks.
"It's starting again," she whispered.
"IT IS TIME FOR YOUR ELEVENTH TRIAL."
A giant screen slid down from the ceiling. Then, in stark white letters, pairs of numbers appeared one by one.
001 — 013
023 — 009
004 — 029
More pairs kept appearing.
I felt my pulse spike as I scanned for my number.
Then I saw it.
001 — 013
Fuck. That was me. And Theo.
Next to me, Zaara squeezed my arm so hard.
"Who..who are you with?" I choked out.
