Sweet Reckoning (The Sweet Trilogy #3)(74)

Wait. That was it. I knew exactly what she would do.

I jumped from the chair and ran into the suite, leaving the twins with hairbrush and blow-dryer midair. I could feel all of their eyes on me in my oversized robe as I flung open each dresser drawer. All empty. Oh no. I turned and saw the night-stand. I ran to it, passing a confused Blake, and opened the tiny drawer.

There it was. The Holy Bible.

I took it out like a precious gem. It probably hadn’t been opened once in all its years in this room. It was a funny thing, wasn’t it?—the notion of keeping Bibles in hotel rooms. I wondered how the tradition had started and why it had been kept going. Maybe superstition. Maybe for me and this very moment.

I looked up at everyone staring at me. The room was wrapped in nervous tension.

Watch for spirits, I signed.

The others nodded their agreement. I climbed up to the middle of the big bed and placed the book on the terrycloth robe over my lap. Very slowly, very quietly, I opened to the back and found the Dictionary/Concordance. It was hard to concentrate with everyone on edge and the television blaring, but I forced myself to focus. Kopano walked away from the group, going to sit at the table in the living room area with his eyes closed in mediation.

Marna climbed up and sat next to me. Blake and Ginger watched television, or at least pretended to, and Kai paced silently. I first looked up “demons.” I knew there were a ton of passages about them—this wasn’t my first time looking—but in the past none of it had stood out to me as very informative. I guess the verses that stand out are the ones most relevant to you at the moment you’re reading them. Like poetry. I pointed to the lines I was reading so Marna could follow.

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.