I saw that he was monumentally relieved to see me alive.
I saw that he would do anything to protect me.
I saw that he would stay with me until the very end.
When his eyes grew big and his entire body twitched with new tension, I knew that no matter what tied my soul to Ryder’s, there was something I had to do first.
Nix’s hands clamped around my body in the next second. I didn’t fight him this time. There was no more reason to struggle.
Either this ended now or he would have to kill me.
I couldn’t put up with this for another second.
I was officially and eternally over it.
Ryder jumped to his feet, but a sharp point at my throat kept him from moving closer to me.
“I’ll kill her if you take a step,” Nix promised.
Ryder gripped the god-killer with two hands and pointed it at Nix. “If you so much as pull her hair, you won’t live through the next minute.”
Nix’s chest pressed against my spine and rumbled with laughter. “Because you’ll kill me?” Nix laughed harder. “Try again when you can grow a beard. For now, don’t waste my time.”
“Keep making jokes,” Ryder drawled. “Thegod of waris dead. It’s okay to feel fear now.”
My heart hammered in my chest and threatened to lodge itself in my throat. I couldn’t let them fight. I wouldn’t give another god a chance to take Ryder from me.
I closed my eyes and imagined Tortola.
Something happened. My feet were standing on sand again… but it was different.
When I opened my eyes we were still in Greece though. Ryder’s eyes had gone large and I could tell that we started to disappear… or maybe only my feet had.
Nix’s grip tightened on me and the blade dug into my throat. I felt the rough nick against my skin and the fast drop of blood as it landed on my chest. I hissed through my teeth and started to try to transport us again.
“I cannot wait to kill you, Orpheus.” Nix’s dark chuckle vibrated through my bones. I felt his hatred for Ryder singe the air around us. “You started all of this. And you will finish it with your blood.”
Ryder ignored Nix and I wanted to kiss him just for making Nix feel insignificant even in this climactic moment.
Ryder held my gaze steadily and mouthed, “Stay with me.”
He had seen me start to disappear. It was possible. It would happen.
With as much confidence as I could gather, I told him, “I have to do this first. Then I’m yours. Forever.”
The faintest smile made his lips twitch. I felt power surge through my body. It was time. I could finally make this happen.
“You’ll need this.” Just as I finally figured out what my body needed to do, Ryder tossed the sword at me.
The blade flipped over and over, threating to decapitate me in the process. But just as it started to fall, the handle flicked the right direction and it landed in the sand, blade down, at my feet.
Nix cursed in my ear just as I grabbed the sword and concentrated all of my power on Tortola.
Nix cursed again, but it was too late.
We’d made it to my island.
Chapter Thirty
