If anyone were to ask why she hated Terpola, Amneris now had a new answer.

Forget the fucked-up Ruler, her guards, and all the people that worked under her, the prisons were enough for Amneris to take if off the ever-growing list of places to never go to again. Not that she would ever willingly go to Terpola. It was the home of her enemies.

Amneris never knew why the Terpolite people hated her so much in the beginning. Now, if they had come to do so over the years she had been Queen of Lyriumia, then she could think of many reasons for them to hate her with more than a fiery vengeance. Why they had come after her in the first place, that was something she would be asking for the rest of her immortal life.

A sidelong glance made a strange feeling rise inside of her. It was sickening. She couldn’t place what it was but knew it had something to do with Colt who was running at her side.

In complete honesty, she had intended to ask him why they hated her so much. That wasn’t going to happen now. Unless the soul now in that body had been told something. Amneris doubted it.

She shook her head, looking ahead at the endless pathway. Amneris was beginning to think they would never escape this prison. How many floors had they passed? Forty? Fifty? They all blurred together, as did time.

Colt grabbed her wrist, pulling her to a stop. Amneris face him, finding the now-familiar look unsettling.

“I know what you are thinking,” he said.

She opened her mouth to make some sort of sarcastic remark or sassy comeback only to be interrupted before she could.

“I am sure your friends are searching for us. They are not the sort to give up easily.”

“As much as I love my court—”

“You would prefer to save yourself. I know.” Colt placed a hand on her head. “We will be out of here soon, Tali.”

Amneris gave him a sour look. “Don’t call me that.”

He lowered his hand. “Sorry.”

“It’s just . . . I’m not quite there with the idea that you’re . . . you and not . . . him.” She frowned, “I think I just confused myself.”

Colt managed a small laugh. “Imagine how it was for me when I woke up like this.”

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“What? In a strange place you’ve never been before.” She snorted. “Yeah, that’s so hard to imagine.”

“In a different body,” he corrected.

In that moment, Amneris realised she was far from ready to have this conversation.

They had other things to worry about. Getting out of this maze, for a start. The going forward tactic certainly was not working anymore. She did, however, have another idea. Amneris glanced at the ceiling. Colt followed her gaze. Amneris expected him to give a speech on how it was a horrible idea. Instead he stepped back.

Amneris clenched her fists. She allowed her power to flow to her feet, the floor around her glowing. The rest went into her hands and arms. Amneris leapt up with a roar. She broke through the ceiling. It was not enough to stop her. She broke through another. Another. Another. Her power protected her strength. Amneris refused to let up until she felt she was certain they were far from the floor they’d been on seconds ago.

Minutes later, she stopped to observe her work, landing beside the endless pit she’d created. Amneris whistled. “Wow.”

Colt, having used his power to follow her, leaned down as well. “I am impressed.”

“You and me both.”

Amneris flinched as pain shot through her arms. It vanished as fast as it came. She held her hands out in front of her, tilting her head to the side at the sight of dripping golden blood. The skin on her hands was almost completely gone and several of her fingers were broken. Amneris blinked. Her hands were healed. She must have gone fast enough her healing was unable to keep up. That was something that almost never happened.

“What floor are we on now?” Colt asked.

Amneris shrugged. “Hopefully not too far from the top.” She caught his gaze and managed to smile. “I am much stronger than I was last time you saw me. A lot changed in five thousand years.”

“I am beginning to see that.”

“Come on,” she said, swinging her staff over her shoulder. “We’ve got to be close. Oh, and perhaps keep that sword close.”

Colt unsheathed the khopesh. “Expecting trouble?”

“Always.”

“Lead the way.”

The pair ran forward, following the pathway. There were no cells on this level. They had to be close to the top—

Amneris grinned at the red light spilling in from an opening ahead. “Daylight!”

“That is not all!” Colt pointed ahead. Shadows rushed forward.

Tara must have called in reinforcements.

Amneris gripped her staff. She couldn’t help her smile. They were so close. The guards would be no match for her. For them.

The pair swept through the crowd, taking down every warrior standing in their path. Oh, how Amneris had missed odds like this! Ones that seemed impossible, but she knew she could win, even on her own!

They pushed through the crowd, reaching the red daylight.

They had made it out of the prison.

That was when something very unexpected happen.

A loud bang. The sound of stone breaking.

A ship crashed through the final layer of stone the ceiling was carved from. The force was so strong, Amneris and Colt were swept from their feet and sent flying outside the prison.

Coughing, Amneris rolled onto her stomach and looked back at what was blocking the entrance to the prison they just escaped.

She jumped up, helping Colt to his feet, before storming up to the ship.

She bashed on the hull with enough force to dent it. A door lowered.

“Aer you people insane?” she yelled, gesturing to the mess behind her and the ship itself. “We literally just escaped!”

Standing in front of her, dressed in his battered leather jacket he always wore into battle and with his hair tied neatly at the nape, Leo crossed his arms. “You’re welcome.”