Amneris lay on the soft grass in the warm sunlight, the sound of the forest’s waterfall filling her mind. She hadn’t bothered going to today’s scheduled meeting. They could handle things without her. Besides, she was having her own problems.

A wave of darkness had shot through Creation. Amneris felt it loud and clear, even more so once she shifted into her true form – a side effect of the sudden wave. It had taken a few minutes to regain control and return to her usual Lyriumian form.

She knew full well what the wave of darkness meant: Enliatu was back.

Which meant this was the last day Amneris would have to just lay in the sun for even the Gods didn’t know how long. Nice and quiet and alone with no interruptions. At least, that had been the plan.

Amneris opened her eyes as a familiar presence appeared beside her. “Though you would’ve jumped the next portal out.”

“I did,” Kek said, laying out beside her. “Gonna take a guess and say you felt the wave.”

“Yep,” she said. “I know full well what it means.”

“So you’re just laying in the sun instead of doing something.”

Amneris glanced at him. “And you care because . . .?”

A shrug. “You usually have some grand plan.”

“I do.”

Kek rolled onto his side to face her. “Please tell me you’re not doing what I think you’re going to do.” She looked away. “Shit, seriously?”

“Hey, unless you have a better idea.”

“You know you can’t access the Photon Core’s full powers. Not on your own—Oh, I see.”

Amneris sighed. “Why are you even here?”

Kek raised a hand to the sun, shadows dancing at his fingertips. “It is my duty as your most hated enemy to make sure no one kills you or removes your power until I figure out how to do so myself.”

“So nice to know your intentions are pure,” she sighed, sitting upright.

Then she was on the ground, Kek holding her down.

“Listen, Topanga, I like this little game of yours and want it to continue just a little longer. That won’t happen if you get yourself killed.”

Amneris raised an eyebrow. “You do remember the whole immortality thing, right?”

Kek growled. “You have five days to get to Ozialon. That’s his first stop. He wants to reclaim his family’s home. After that, he’s coming here.”

“And I can trust you aren’t trying to set me up again?” she asked sweetly. “Last time I trusted your word, I died.”

He muttered under his breath in the Old Language, standing.

Amneris rolled onto her stomach. “Why are you really helping me?”

Kek sighed. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I want you dead but I don’t want you dead. Not just yet.” With those words, he vanished.

Amneris rolled onto her back, rubbing her hands over her face. “Shit . . .”

Making sure she wasn’t being followed, Amneris made her way through the Palace. With a final glance over her shoulder, she turned down a dead-end corridor on the ground floor. Two doors were on either side but they were not what she was here for. Amneris walked straight through the wall at the end of the corridor.

This place was beyond forbidden. Only Core wielders—it didn’t matter if they were past or present—could enter this area.

The hidden corridor was an identical extension of the previous one, only it slopped down below the Palace, past its underground floors. Lower. The future she went, the more it turned to a cave passage. It opened into a large dark underground cavern, a bridge crossing a seemingly bottomless chasm to the other side, where the path continued. This one was different, carved for a strange black stone with strange markings etched into the stone. Amneris recognised them as the Old Language, but she didn’t stop to read. That was not why she was here.

She followed the dark path, holding an orb of light above her hand to see. It took a few minutes of following the twisting path but Amneris reached a door made of blue and white stone. A final safety measure. She walked straight through it as only Core Guardians could do.

On the other side, the pathway continued until it widened into a circular chamber. Its walls were covered in gold, names printed in diamond covering them. They were the names of every Core Guardian from first to current. As more came, more names were added. In the centre of the room stood a single silver-and-gold podium covered in symbols even Amneris didn’t recognise. Hovering above it was an orb. It was pure white and radiated with power.

This was the Photon Core, forever surrounded by the names of its Guardians.

Amneris crossed the marble floor until she reached her own name, tracing over the diamond with her fingers. Her birth name, not her chosen name. Perhaps there was a way to change it, but that was a problem for later.

“Are you here?” Amneris asked the empty room. “We need to talk.”

A flash of light. A woman appeared floating beside the Photon Core. Her skin was fair, glowing with power. Her hair was tailbone length and the purest white there was. Her slight fringe was held back with diamond pins, revealing silver eyes and a small diamond pattern above the right. The woman worse a full-length strapless white dress which fit her form perfectly. The skirts were long enough her bare feet were hidden. A silk shawl made of starlight rested around arms.

Only Core Guardians knew the truth of her existence.

This woman was the Photon Core herself, the First Light.

The First Being Naiu.

She moved closer and smiled. “So long since you last came to see me, Anmerankh-Karareia. You have grown so much!”

“It’s ‘Amneris’ and has been for a while. Can that be changed on the wall?” Amneris gestured over her shoulder at her name.

“I am sure something that can be done. You chose a good name.” Naiu tilted her head. “Wait, wasn’t ‘Amneris’ the name of a Demigod from years ago?”

Amneris cleared her throat. “Moving along. We really need to talk.”

Naiu took a step back, inviting her to sit at the base of the golden podium, the Goddess hovering slightly above the ground. “What brings you here?”

Amneris sat, stretching her legs out. “Guessing you know the Silent Guardian is back?”

“Yes.” A sigh. “Why my husband chose that man to inhabit, I have no idea.”

“Inhabit?”

Naiu smiled. “I haven’t asked how your husband is.”

“Alive. Sort of.” Amneris waved a hand. “Wish I could stay and catch up but I’m here on business. I need full access to your power.”

The Goddess blinked. “You know you are not ready for that. Your body would be destroyed from the strain. I do not need to lose another Guardian so soon.” She frowned. “This is your plan to defeat the Silent Guardian?”

“It’s either this or he destroys you. No light, no power of good. Only darkness and chaos. Balance would go crazy.”

A moment of silence.

Naiu held her hand out. Amneris fingered the chains around her neck until she found the right pendant. A golden plate on which rested a dome-shaped diamond, a glow as though it were a star coming from inside. The plate’s back had markings much like the ones on the pedestal. No one knew what they meant.

Naiu cupped her hands over the diamond, her form shimmering. The pendant was handed back. Naiu held up a finger, the motion making her look like a scolding mother. “Do what is necessary to defeat him but do it without destroying Creation.”

Another flash of light and she was gone, returning to wherever it was she went when not in physical form.

Amneris grasped the pendant firmly. “I’ll try but promise nothing.”