For forty-five minutes I read the many accounts of demon possessions. There were weird passages about suicidal, demon-possessed pigs. I didn’t have time to pick those ones apart. The use of parables and lack of explanations had me dissecting for meaning, something that I wasn’t good at.

I nearly came out of my skin at the sound of a knock at the door. Kaidan went to it, and I was flinging the puffy down comforter over the Bible. Marna patted my arm to reassure me. I tried to catch my breath and slow my heart when I saw it was only our room service. Kai had ordered a ton of food, and my mouth watered as the scent hit me.

Nobody else ate quite as enthusiastically as me. I barely took time to breathe as I downed an entire huge hamburger, then drank a soda. My stomach wobbled a little with nausea again, so I sat back on the bed. My full belly made me feel even sleepier. I patted my cheeks and pinched my cheekbones. Get it together, Anna.

I turned again to the Concordance and looked up “sword” this time, but it was all mostly symbolism for war, or proverbial lines like “reckless words pierce like a sword.”

I read about angels and their jobs as messengers and guardians of souls. Kaidan paced the room again with his arms crossed over his chest, listening for danger, his face slightly pinched from absorbing so much sensory input at once. I chewed my fingernails while I read until Marna pulled my hand down.

My palms were starting to sweat. I wiped them on the robe absentmindedly.

Can you turn the air up in here, please? I signed to Blake.

He nodded, fiddling with the temperature gauge.

I couldn’t stop peeking at the clock. It was after midnight. I wasn’t even dressed yet! I knew Kaidan would warn me when it was time to get ready, but panic was fraying me around the edges. The Sword of Righteousness was still in my bag, and we needed to figure out who would carry it—obviously not me since I’d be patted down to the max if they had one of the Neph checking people as they came in like at the last summit. I grasped my head. I had too much to figure out still!

I flipped pages. There had to be something I could use. Kopano caught my gaze from across the room. I pleaded with my eyes. Did he know something that could help? He came over and sat next to me. I felt a rush of safety and hope from his nearness.

He signed, What are you searching for, in particular?

Anything to battle them and defeat them, I signed.

I held the book out to him, and he took it, flipping pages with quick assurance. He’d get to a passage, stop, shake his head, and flip again. After three times his face softened. How about this? He set the book in my lap and pointed to Ephesians 6:11–18. My heart stirred. I read it twice and my pulse quickened. I read it a third time and I knew this was it. Marna and I shared an elated glance. I gave Kope a grateful look before he stood. Kai pushed off the wall, his eyes wide, wondering what we’d found. I beamed at him. Kope took over keeping watch for whisperers while Kaidan came to my side. Together, we read.

The Whole Armor of God

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers . . . .

I smiled as I read it. Kaidan watched me with that boyish look he sometimes gave me when he was in awe, as if I was capable of amazing feats.

The Armor was all metaphorical imagery. With the exception of the sword, all of my primary available weapons and protection would have to come from inside me. I had been fully equipped all along.

Truth. Righteousness. Peace. Faith. Salvation. And prayer. That was it.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, I slid from the bed and fell to my knees, but still I felt too high. I pressed my forehead to the carpet, and silently spoke the most important, fervent plea of my life. I lay there with my eyes closed, buzzing with the sureness of my arsenal.

“Daughter of Belial,” I heard Kaidan say. He stood at Kopano’s side.

I quickly pushed to standing and faced him.

He nodded, his eyes hard. “It’s time.”

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins Publishers

..................................................................

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

GALAXY

At once Kaidan and Kopano became still, their eyes far away as they listened.

Oh, no. What were they hearing?

Kaidan’s eyes darted around the floor, landing on his duffel bag by the closet. He ran to it, unzipping it and pulling out my book bag.

“Here’s your bag. Get ready,” he said roughly. But with his hands he signed, Hide the hilt! The son of Shax is coming.

Marek! Not good. He was a possible ally, but I couldn’t take any chances.

I thought fast. As quietly as possible I removed the bag of candy from my backpack and put it in the trash. Then I took some napkins from the room service cart and threw them on top. Yuck.

When the knock came, my stomach dropped. Kaidan pointed for me to sit on the bed. I sat with the book bag in my lap as he opened the door. To my horror Marek came in, flanked by a whisperer. Marek was shorter than Kai, about Blake’s height. I’d wondered if he was friendly before—he’d seemed like it compared to Caterina—but his face showed none of that friendliness now. His eyes were like ice as he pushed up the sleeves of his black dress shirt.

He stopped in front of me, and I wished I were dressed instead of wearing that stupid robe. My Neph friends stood in a tense semicircle around us.

“We meet again,” Marek said. Without asking, he took my bag from me and began to riffle through it, tossing my underwear and shirts out.

“Hey!” I said, trying to seem indignant. “What are you doing?”

When the bag was emptied and he’d felt all the pockets, he glanced around the room.

“What did you take from the bag before I arrived?”

“What? Nothing—”

“I heard a sound! Like . . . crinkling. What was it?”

No, no, no.

“Oh,” I said. “Just some candy I didn’t want anymore.”

He turned and scanned the floor until his eyes stopped on the trash can. No! Without hesitation he reached in.

“Ew, man,” Blake said, but Marek was undeterred.

Panic flared like a rushing meteor inside me. Everyone stepped closer, faces hardened as if ready to fight.

Marek shook the food off the candy bag and proceeded to do what nobody from any of the airport security checks had done before. He ripped the bag open and dumped its contents onto the desk. I leaped from the bed and dove toward the exposed hilt, but I was too late. The whisperer hissed above us as Marek shoved me back, plucking off pieces of candy that I’d taped to it. Kaidan stepped forward, but Kope steadied him with a hand to the shoulder. I hoped Marek and the whisperer thought Kai was angry about what I’d hidden from him, and not the fact that the son of Shax was taking possession of it.