The corridor was empty.

That, more than anything, told Liora how badly Selene had miscalculated.

Stone stretched ahead of her in long, torch-lit silence, the air cool against her skin as she stepped out of the cell that had been meant to hold her indefinitely. The door stood open behind her, the melted lock still faintly warm, stone warped as if softened by breath rather than force.

Each footstep echoed too loudly in her ears.

She forced herself to slow.

Panic led to ...