“We will.” Ahyana’s voice was broken.
“And always remember how much I love all of you.” There wasn’t time to say everything I wanted. Xander’s light inside me turned brighter. He was getting close.
I went over to the gate and tried to pull it, but it was stuck.
“Why are you closing the gate?” Zalira asked.
“Because Xander’s coming and he won’t let me do this. It has to be this way. I can’t explain. Please help me.”
They all hesitated for a moment, and then they came over and began to pull with me. I didn’t want to use my aspect yet. I was going to need it in the water. The gate groaned and protested but started to move. We pulled and pulled on the stiff metal, using all our strength.
I looked at the hole, and all I could think of was the dream I’d had, when I’d been told that my fate was in the water. I found the ladder, and the cold water was a shock to my skin as I climbed down. My sisters continued to push the gate closed over me until they finally fit it into the correct position.
“The trial of water,” Io said miserably.
“Lock it,” I said, my teeth chattering as I held on to one of the bars from the gate.
Suri did that for me, and Io let out a loud wail when the lock clicked into place.
Ahyana reached her arm through the bars and I moved over to her, taking her hand. My sisters all grabbed me, so that we were all touching.
“One for many,” Ahyana said through her tears.
“Many for one,” I told her. I was glad they were here. I didn’t want to die alone.
“Lia?”
Xander came into the room and I immediately released my sisters and backed up. He moved them out of the way and reached for me, pushing against the gate.
“What are you doing? Give me your hand!”
“I can’t do that.”
“We will open this gate and I will go in your stead,” he said.
“No, it has to be me.” Xander needed to live. The goddess had blessed him as her warrior. He would fight Artemisia and do what I’d failed to accomplish. He would save everyone.
This was my task—to save him. “I’m doing this for you.”
“You arenotdoing this for me! You’re not doing this at all!” He strained against the bars, pulling with all his might. I heard a creaking sound. If he was able to get it open ...
“Xander.” I said his name calmly, quietly.
That got him to stop.
“It’s going to be all right. You will be all right, and that’s all that matters to me.”
He was frantic, shoving his arm through the bars, reaching for me. “Lia, don’t do this. Grab on to me! Take my hand!”
“Xander, look at me.”
His eyes were desperate, his expression frenzied. I knew exactly how he felt—just as I had when Quynh had been pulled from my grasp. I understood why she had made that choice. She had done it to save me, and I was doing this to save him.
Because of how I felt. How much he mattered to me.
And I wanted him to know that.
“I love you,” I said.
