9

Aria

"That's them!" Zariah squeals in my ear.

We stare out the window in Zariah's room, which faced the front of the house, showing the courtyard where the rest of the contestants were arriving. This is probably going against the rules, but it's not like I haven't done so already, and Zariah is too curious to care.

My fingers are ice cold, as the press into the window sill, while I fight for the best look at the girls. Most of them step out of the same sleek black cars we had yesterday, however, none of them looked as if they had dressed as lavishly as we had been instructed. Many wore loose pants and sweatshirts, with their hair messy from the travel. Most of them travelled days to cross the land.

"Sizing up your competition, Zariah?" Brynn said slyly from where she lay on Zariah's bed. We aren't even allowed to be in each others room and were even instructed to stay where Malik would be able to fin