Free The Light of His Sword by Alaina Stanford Page B

with warning as he
whispered softly, “Why would a defender bother with a stupid little
girl and her useless mother?”
    “The prophesy…” Maxwell countered weakly, as
the sudden chill of deep fear rushed through him.
    Walton leaned closer blasting Maxwell with
his foul breath, “The apocalypse has not descended. The defender
will not be called until that time. This is an earthly matter.”
    “Then perhaps it is time for a new
strategy.” Maxwell offered, refusing to be undone by Walton’s
newfound strength. “If the stranger believes himself a hero, then
let us offer him a final opportunity to prove himself.”
    “A battle, one that will rid us of this
annoyance once and for all,” Walton agreed with an evil smile.
    ********
    The truck bounced and jostled them as they
kept to the two-lane highway that wound through the countryside.
Alyssa watched Gabe shift the gears using both feet on the three
pedals before him. Samantha lay down placing her feet in Gabe’s lap
and her head on her mothers. Alyssa stroked her daughter’s hair and
gazed out the front window.
    Clouds rolled across the deep blue sky
blocking out the warmth of the sun. The wind ripped the leaves from
the trees along the road with its chilling force. Alyssa used her
hand to block the suns orange-pink reflection in the side mirror
from shining into her eyes. Keeping to Gabe’s suggestion, they
stopped only long enough to get gas or food.
    Alyssa’s mind went back to the rest stop.
She knew Walton and the elders worshiped Demons but until that
moment, she’d refused to believe they could be real. Alyssa refused
to learn the elders’ religion. Her mother told her to shut her ears
when the elders spoke of the monsters. Now she wished she’d
listened. She had no idea how powerful they were. What they could
do and what their limitations were. Now she needed that knowledge
to keep her daughter safe. She glanced at Gabe; he was not
forthcoming but perhaps he knew, surely he knew.
    Alyssa decided to find out. “I don’t think
I’ll be much help driving this truck. It seems very
complicated.”
    Gabe glanced at her, “A manual gear shift
does take some time to learn. Don’t worry about it, I’m fine.
Besides you’ve strained your back and shifting the gears would only
aggravate it.”
    “But you haven’t slept all night.” Alyssa
countered, “I was supposed to drive today, so you could get some
sleep, remember?”
    “Truck drivers are used to traveling 24
hours or more without sleep. It’s a hazard of the trade.” Gabe
flashed a tired smile, “I’m fine.”
    “We should stop in Salina for the night.”
Alyssa already knew the answer.
    “No,” Gabe frowned, but didn’t turn to look
at her.
    “Why? You need to rest.”
    “You know why, Alyssa.” Gabe shot her an
irritated frown.
    Alyssa was determined to get answers, “How
do they keep finding us? What is it about staying still that helps
them locate us?”
    “You do understand the old man driving the
truck was not doing so of his own free will?” Gabe asked quietly.
“He was being controlled by demons. The woman driving the car, and
the dog were also possessed.”
    “Yes,” Alyssa admitted that much made sense
to her. “I’ve seen darkness in the elder’s eyes at times; a
darkness that sent cold ripples of fear through me. If a demon can
crawl inside you and control you, then those ripples of fear make
sense.”
    Gabe nodded and glanced at her, “You sensed
the evil and were repelled by it. That’s an incredible gift Alyssa,
a gift that could save your life one day. If you listen to it and
obey your impulses when it tells you something is evil.”
    “How did you know that the dog was possessed
and that demons waited in the shadows of the trees?” Alyssa asked
boldly.
    “It’s my job to know those things.” He
answered softly. “It’s my job to protect you.”
    “Are you an angel?” Alyssa whispered.
    “What do you know of Angels?” Gabe
smiled.
    “My