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

Already, Alan could feel his body tingling with the promise of battle. He fought back the feeling trying to focus on Kassidy instead. “Please, just stay here.”
    Instead of waiting for an answer, Alan hurried off into the rush of running bodies. Alan’s eyes ran over the crowd of angels preparing for war. Esther wasted no time in forming her company into ranks of armored defenses. Above, a long line of angels were already positioned and held shining silver bows and quivers full of arrows. They formed a line in the sky just ahead of the camp. Likewise, another line was forming on the ground. These angels were equipped with shields half the size of their bodies and spears as long as they were tall.
    Alan ran to the front of the line to find Esther while still searching for a familiar face. Finally, he saw Raphael. The Archangel was walking from his hut, a haunted look of anxiety plastered across his bearded face. “Raphael,” Alan shouted changing his course to intercept the Archangel. “I need you to look after Kassidy. She’s in the weapons tent. I—” Alan paused as he witnessed Raphael’s eyes glaze over. It was obvious amidst the clanking armor and captains shouting their commands that Raphael was reliving events eons old.
    Alan grabbed the Archangel by the shoulders and shook. “Listen to me. Kassidy needs you. This isn’t the war you were in. This isn’t any of your friends or Uriel.”
    That did it: Raphael snapped out of his haze at the mention of his lost friend. He blinked like he was seeing Alan for the first time. “Do you hear me?” Alan asked. “Kassidy is alive in the weapons tent and she needs you right now. Go protect her, Raphael.”
    Raphael nodded dumbly and ran for the encampment. Alan wished he had more time to ensure the Archangel found Kassidy but he needed to get to the frontlines. Alan maneuvered his way through the maelstrom of activity in the camp. Every angel was either already at his or her station or in the camp preparing their defenses.
    The frontline was the area just before the beach ended and touched the first outcroppings of grass. Esther stood tall just behind the frontlines taking council with Danielle and a handful of her advisers. Alan craned his neck to see what evil approached but to his dismay he could see nothing. Past the broad shoulders of the angelic core, only green landscape appeared.
    “What’s going on?” Alan asked, skidding to a halt beside the group of conferring military leaders.
    Esther gave him a sideways glance, which clearly communicated that she was not used to being interrupted. “Our forward sentries came in contact with Fallen scouts in advance of a much larger company. The demon scouts flew a white flag and spoke with our sentries.”
    Alan took the information in as fast as it was being related. “They want Kassidy,” Alan said.
    The group of warriors looked at each other uncomfortably. Danielle finally spoke. “They want Kassidy,” she said in a low tone, “and they want retribution for what you did.”
    Alan couldn’t believe his ears. “What I did?”
    “Yes,” Esther took up the story. “It seems that when you rescued Kassidy you embarrassed one of the demonic princes.”
    Memories of his encounter with the demon named Trubic came back to him in a rush. “This is ridiculous. We aren’t going to give them Kassidy or meet any of their demands, prince or not.”
    Esther raised a gloved fist for silence. “We have no intention of giving them Kassidy. However, if we can avoid bloodshed, we must. With Gabriel’s influence on the rules of our world, an encounter now would mean death to our men and women. I cannot knowingly go into a battle until I have exhausted all other possibilities for a peaceful resolution.”
    Alan knew he should agree with Esther. The Captain was only trying to spare her men. Still something burned inside Alan with the heat of a fury he never knew. It begged him to speak. Alan bit it back. His stomach churned