Free Destroyers of the Lost Garden (The Lost Garden Trilogy Book 3) by K.T. Tomb

replied as he rubbed the back of his head.
    Jess smiled as she held his face in her hands.
    “Evan Knight, you are feeling the exact same feelings that I felt the very first time I left Eden many centuries ago. I was in a world that I had only known about through books for almost two hundred years. I knew it existed, but I was still very excited when one of us was to be chosen to explore. It was between Shala and me. Mother Daughter wanted to send both of us, but decided against it at the last moment. Her reasons were her own and Shala was upset, but her spirits were raised when she became Mother Daughter’s protector while I was gone. Little did she know that the lifelong assignment would rob her of future chances for outside exploration. The stench and the impurity of the outside world repulsed me at first, but I looked past the ugliness and fear of the unknown. I then saw the real beauty that many people take for granted. God’s world is full of wonder. The mountains, flowers, valleys, and trees are just part of it. One of the most beautiful things I saw was when a man who had means took a homeless man to an expensive restaurant for a meal. I saw doctors and nurses try with all of their might to save people that they knew nothing about. Some cried when they couldn’t. I saw one woman who many called horrible names simply because she owned her own business and was successful at it. What they didn’t see was that the woman only hired homeless American veterans and single parents trying to support their families. We did so much research in the outside world for many centuries, Evan Knight. Would you believe me if I told you that Ramallah and I were baptized at the River Jordan with Jesus of Nazareth? We watched for a long time before we had to seek you out.”
    He felt foolish for his fears. Then he had a look of realization.
    “Jess, I know that the outside world, as you call it, is filled with hate and a lot of pain and suffering. I also think it’s amazing how someone who has had your experiences of the world can still see anything beautiful, considering where you’re from. I do have a couple of thoughts though. As someone who has dealt with good and bad people, Shala gives me the creeps. I know what you’re going to say, but hear me out. You said that Shala was in charge of protecting Mother Daughter. How did that go? Didn’t you get some kind of psychic distress call from your Mother? “If it’s a possibility, then it isn’t a fact.”
    Knight had Jess’ full attention as he continued, “I have done a lot of research on Eden. In my research I usually come across items that I could cross reference with the Bible, God, and all things related. There are several references where it mentions that Satan…Lucifer…was jealous of Jesus as well as human beings. Of course he was jealous of us, because we had found favor in God’s eyes, but it is believed that Satan wanted to be God’s favorite. It’s also believed that he wanted to take the place of Jesus when God’s plan was revealed. There are some timeline continuity problems there, but that’s another story. From what I could find, Satan was basically jealous of everyone. When he was not given the opportunity he thought he deserved, he tried to do everything in his power to destroy everything and everyone involved in what he could not have. Think carefully, Jess. Doesn’t that situation sound a lot like the one we have here?”
    Jess was physically stunned; disbelief marred her face. There was no disputing Knight’s logic. She fought back tears as she did everything she could to come up with alternatives to Knight’s theory. She didn’t have any other answers. The war in Eden followed a familiar pattern for her and she started to figure out how things would end. Win or lose, there would be severe casualties. Some would be closer to home than Jess had imagined.
    The fear crept through her. Knight saw it and decided it was time to regroup.
    “Jess, I