But none of those things would help her defeat Victor. Twice before, Jed had swept in—her knight in shining armor—and rescued her from the clutches of the Dark Ones. But in her heart of hearts, she knew that wasn’t going to happen this time. Jed was hundreds of miles away, and Victor was standing fifty feet from her. This time she was on her own.

This time she would have to face the monster alone. The monster and all the demons he carried with him.

9:29.

The image of the clock flashed in her head, some secret message her mind wanted her to see. There’s something special about that number . . .

What is it?

Another image flashed in her mind, this one of the fountain in the Sanctuary, the sculpture of St. George slaying the dragon, and epiphany struck her. How could she have never put two and two together?

St. George’s Academy . . . of course. This is the school where they train us to slay dragons.

“Certitude,” she said and balled her hands into fists. A surge of something—energy, confidence, courage . . . she couldn’t tell, but whatever it was flowed up through her core and radiated out to the tips of her fingers and toes. “This time I won’t let you take me without a fight.”

He laughed at this and the screaming in her mind increased to a roar.

A Scripture filled her head—from Deuteronomy, she remembered—and she felt certain that it was God who sent it.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

She pictured David, just a boy, before he was king, staring up at the giant. This would be her David moment.

Body electric, she fixed her gaze on the demon vessel before her.

“Quiet!” she commanded and the chorus in her mind instantly fell silent.

On the floor next to her, Avery sobbed, clutching her hands to her ears. Sarah Beth grabbed her schoolmate under the armpits, hoisted her to her feet, and shoved her through the still-open doorway into the tornado shelter. Then she locked eyes with a high school boy standing inside.

“Lock this door, and don’t open it no matter what you hear outside,” she said.

“But what about you?” he protested.

“Do it now,” she barked.