“Let go of her,” Ryder’s gravelly order traveled across the limestone plaza.
I looked up to see him taking the steps from the temple two at a time. He raced to get to us before Nix could disappear with me.
I felt a tremor of relief vibrate through me.
Nix seemed unconcerned. He threw his hand toward Ryder and I watched in horror as a massive wave of water crashed over the steps.
It wouldn’t have been enough to kill him, but when the water receded I expected to find Ryder on the ground, bleeding and injured.
Instead, he stood his ground on the steps, protected by a force field of energy. I sucked in my breath, remembering the night Nix attacked us at the hospital.
I didn’t understand Ryder’s powers, but I was thankful for them.
Ryder pushed forward, wading into ankle-length waves that hadn’t yet disappeared. He threw out his hand and Nix jerked backwards. I couldn’t see anything or how Nix had been physically affected, but his hand slipped from my body while he tried to regain his balance.
I didn’t wait around. I sprinted forward toward Ryder.
Gods and goddesses appeared on the top steps of the temple to watch the commotion, although none of them stepped in right away.
Before I could get to Ryder, Nix hit him again, this time using the water inside of him trick. Water streamed down Ryder’s chin as he held his mouth open to let it out. He shut his eyes and shook his head while he visibly choked on the constant deluge of saltwater.
His hands flung toward Nix, knocking him backwards three steps, then four. Nix grunted with the impact of the last hit as if he’d been punched in the stomach.
Ryder had to do more or he was going to die.
I found my footing a few yards away from Nix and turned to help. I let my power pool in my blood for precious moments before I set it free against Nix.
He stumbled as soon as my water hit him. His dark eyes flashed to mine as he coughed water out of his mouth and nose. His eyes were instantly bloodshot and dangerous.
“What is this?” Hera’s voice screeched from the top step. “Make them stop!Zeus, make them stop!”
“Ivy!” Zeus hollered at me.
I realized that this was everything he spent days arguing I wasn’t, but we were fighting for our lives. Nix wanted to murder Ryder and run away with me.
We had no other choice.
Ryder fell to his knees, but tried to keep fighting. He used his pulses of power to attack Nix relentlessly, but there was nothing that could stop the god of the sea.
I attacked him with my power too, but nothing slowed Nix down. Nothing was enough.
Ryder dropped to the ground, supported by one hand.
“Smith!” I screamed for help. “Help us!”
“Enough, Poseidon!” Zeus’ voice boomed above everything else.
Water started to bubble up around Ryder, rising until it covered his knees, then his shoulders. In seconds it would cover his face and he was too weak to fight it.
I abandoned my efforts to drown Nix and tried to make my way to Ryder. The water that had invisible boundaries pushed back at me. Violent waves kept me from making headway.
Frustrated, I thrust my hand into the salty tumult, but this was not my water to command. I had no control over this.
I fought until I was bruised everywhere from the force of the waves. My gown was drenched and sticky and my lungs breathless. But I couldn’t make it to Ryder.
Nothing I did was good enough.
“You will listen to me!” Zeus’ voice boomed until my ears hurt. Lightning flashed constantly in the suddenly dark sky. “Poseidon,stop!”
