Alan Price and the Statue of Zeus (The Nephilim Chronicles Book 3) by Jonathan Yanez Page A

detail. The smells, the sounds, everything.”
    Alan kept his eyes open measuring Kassidy’s progress. It killed him to imagine what she might have to relive, but it was necessary. Kassidy brow furrowed as she kept her eyes closed and breathed hard. The nightmare she was remembering had to be horrible. Within seconds, Alan could see a gleam of sweat on her brow. Her heartbeat quickened now even audible to Alan’s ears.
    “I—I can’t,” Kassidy said eyes still closed slowly shaking her head.
    “Tell me,” Alan said forcing any sympathy from his voice. “Where are you?”
    “I’m—I’m eight. My father is back again from drinking. My mother and I are hiding in the closet. She tells me to be quiet but I can’t stop crying.”
    It tore Alan’s heart to hear her recount such a horrible memory. Alan was having second thoughts about being ready to mentor. He was about to call the exercise off when he saw the first spark. It was faint like the last ember of a dying fire. A yellow line of energy racing around Kassidy as if it could surround her and protect her from the pain that was to come. Just as soon as it appeared, it was gone. This spurred Alan on, “Keep going, Kassidy. What happened next?”
    Kassidy shook with the memory, a tremor took her body. “I’m still in the closet with my mother, my dad hears me crying. My mom is begging me to stop. He’s throwing around furniture trying to find us. He hears me. He hears me crying. He’s coming.”
    Multiple yellow lights the color of the sun showed like lines and wrapped around Kassidy racing to protect her from harm. “He found us. My mom begs him to stop but he starts beating her. He’s beating her because I couldn’t keep quiet.” Kassidy’s voice was the sound of fear laced with regret and self-loathing.
    Alan couldn’t take anymore. Hearing the pain in her voice was even beginning to bring his own past to the surface: the bullying, the loneliness. “Open your eyes, Kassidy.”
    There was no hesitation, as the girl ran from her past. With a sigh, her eyelids snapped open. As Alan witnessed Kassidy see her true powers for the first time, he knew it was worth it. The trepidation from only a second before was replaced with an expression of wonder.
    Yellow lines sped around her like tiny comets eager to chase their own tails. Words were clearly past the budding Horseman, leaving Alan to fill the silence. “This is only the first step. Now that you can call on your strength, it will get easier and easier. Eventually, you won’t have to remember the things that drove you to be who you are today. You’ll be able to find your own trigger to call your abilities.”
    Kassidy nodded along with Alan’s words yet it was clear she was in shock. Alan couldn’t blame her. Kassidy moved her arms out to her sides and forced them up and down in a slow steady beat. The yellow comets sparked and followed her motions careful not to touch her skin, always within inches of her body.
    Alan wanted to say more. He wanted to share in her enthusiasm and excitement, however fate had other plans. A horn from somewhere in the encampment sounded. Shouts and the sounds of running feet and whooshing wings reached Alan’s hears. He stuck his head from the tent looking for answers.
    Esther was running across the beach shouting orders. Alan caught her eye, “What’s wrong. What’s happening?”
    Esther met him with a grim response. “Demons have come to claim the new Horseman.”
     
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    Alan’s first thought was of Kassidy’s safety. Looking back into the tent he caught her wide-eyed. The yellow energy swirling around her was now gone. “I need you to stay here,” Alan said. “I’ll send Danielle or Raphael to watch you. Promise me you’ll stay here.”
    It was clear Kassidy was frightened but just as easy to see was her will that set her apart as a Horseman. “I can help.”
    “No,” Alan winced as the word came form his mouth more as a shout than an answer.