Returned

by Kimberley Griffiths Little

  “And you’ve probably scrubbed a few thousand floors. Asher will guide us down the rope. I trust him.” I was surprised at how easily the sentiment came out, especially after the treasonous relationship he’d taken up with Laban on the desert journey. Asher had been young, blinded by his feelings for me, but he paid a severe penance to gain his father’s and Kadesh’s trust again. I knew his fierce loyalty was real.

  We stepped back and, on the first try, Asher managed to launch the knotted leather rope over the stone ledge.

  I tied two more large knots to use to secure our weight. We’d have to use our feet against the wall for leverage. “That boulder near the fountain will work to secure the other end of the rope,” I said, using the knots my father had taught me a hundred times over the years of my life.

  Running back to the ledge I called down, “Is there enough length left to reach you? Tug on it so I know it’s secure.”

  The rope held without slipping. My eyes darted back to the door I’d secured. Fists were now pounding from the other side of that door that led into the dusky temple corridor. It wouldn’t take them long to hack it down.

  “You go first, my lady,” Tijah said. “If the guards arrive while I’m stuck on the rope the Goddess will throw you into prison.” I started to protest, but she cut me off. “I’m going to watch how you climb down and imitate it.”

  She had a point, so I finally relented and inched my way over the ledge, not looking down and bracing my toes along the wall. Within moments, I was panting with exertion and adrenaline, the muscles in my arms trembling to hold myself up.

  “I’m right below you,” Asher called. “Keep going.”

  Inch by inch I lowered myself while Tijah stared down at me with dread.

  The sound of movement at the far side of the garden came to my ears. I tried not to let it rattle me, but kept going as fast as I dared.

  A breath later and Asher’s arms were lifting me off the rope. I jumped the last bit, landing on the path. Without thinking, I pressed my face against Asher’s chest, heart thudding with relief.

  “How did you know to find us here?” I asked him.

  “Too much time passed without your return, so I rode up the hillside.”

  “You’ll need to coach Tijah down, she’s petrified.”

  I paced the walkway while my handmaid crept along the rope, casting small cries of fear. I was thankful we were standing under a patch of trees to keep us hidden. Tijah’s shaking arms weakened, and she fell the last bit with a small scream, but Asher was there to catch her.

  “Guards above us on the parapet,” Asher said tersely.

  The sound of splintering wood came and then the door to the courtyard crashed open, followed by the shouts of the guards.

  Taking off into an all-out run, we raced down the walkways and paths back to the dungeon apartments to retrieve Jasmine while the temple guards’ shouts faded.

  Asher carried the young girl in his arms as we moved through the tall grass on the hillsides, not speaking until we reached the cave and our horses. While Asher settled the two maids, I jumped onto mine, flinging my skirts, not caring that I was riding like a man.

  Galloping down the forest path, we were within sight of the city soon. I was aware that we hadn’t broken any laws by going to the temple, but we’d trespassed on a private ceremony and Aliyah’s personal suite.

  The woman was my enemy. The girl Kadesh had almost married. The girl who had seduced Leila, and burned my marriage contract.

  I wished I could banish her from Sariba forever, but in three nights’ time was the summer solstice and the sacrifices. I planned to be there and take back Sahmril before Aliyah could murder my young sister.

  9

  A strange atmosphere imbued the palace upon our return. Hushed servants, quiet halls, and guards conferring in terse words.

  People disappeared down hallways that seemingly led nowhere, and a solemn mood accompanied the significant tension.

  I followed Tijah to my room. All I wanted was to scrub off the heavy makeup and change into a simpler dress. But when we turned the corner to my suite, an older servant woman wearing a plain black dress stood outside the door.

  “My lady, I thought you were still in bed!” Her glance shifted to the closed bedroom door and then back to us. “I’m Lady Naomi’s handmaiden and she has requested your presence as soon as you are dressed and have eaten.”

  “I won’t be but a few moments,” I told her.

  She gave a slight bow and moved down the hall without a single rustling sound of her skirts.

  Tijah’s eyes clouded with fear. “Will the palace be overrun with the enemy?”

  “No. We have a better army, a bigger army,” I said, as much to comfort her fears as my own. “No tears. Help me re-dress quickly.”

  My stomach was a jumble when Tijah deposited me at Naomi and Josiah’s apartment. It wasn’t quite noon yet, and I’d had nothing to eat or drink. I was hot and flushed, and my hands trembled badly. The mood of the palace was unnerving. The events that lay before us over the next few days filled me with a dread I’d never experienced before, not even during the most tense tribal raids during my childhood.

  When the outer doors of Uncle Josiah and Aunt Naomi’s suite flung open, Kadesh was there, his face pale. It was obvious he hadn’t slept much.

  “Kadesh,” I whispered, barely getting his name out before he gathered me up in his arms. My toes left the floor, my hands around his neck, my face buried in his long hair. He held me so tightly I didn’t know where my body left off and his began.

  “Your skin is burning up,” Kadesh said, setting me down. “Are you ill?”

  “No, I decided to see how fast I could run up and down a mountain this morning,” I said with a half smile.

  Aunt Naomi came into view. “You do seem flushed. Bring Lady Jayden a glass of water, please,” she instructed her maid.

  Kadesh studied my face. “Only moments ago, Asher was telling me about your scaling the walls of the temple to escape. I can’t believe you confronted Aliyah, but did you see Leila?”

  “She was anointed the High Priestess of the Goddess of Sariba.” My eyes watered as I stared at him, and the knowledge banged at my heart again. “We must talk. In private. I have dreadful things to tell you.”

  “And I you,” he added soberly.

  Stepping closer, Naomi kissed me on both cheeks. It was the first time I’d seen her since the funeral pyre on the beach the night before. “Darling girl, I’m so sorry. Yesterday was appalling and shocking.”

  “I feel dreadful about Uncle Ephrem. The wedding attack, the armies camping out on the desert—I feel as though every horrible thing is my fault.”

  “Shh!” Naomi ordered. “I know what you’re going to say, and I won’t hear it. Ephrem was ill. The circumstances were vastly unfortunate. It was your wedding that was ruined. The day you and Kadesh have waited so long for.”

  “And Chemish, Asher’s father—how is he?” I asked. As soon as we’d arrived back at the stables, Asher had left the horses with the stable boys and hurried away to the infirmary to see his father.

  The Prince of Edom stepped out of the corner of the room where he’d been speaking with Josiah. “The loss of blood has slowed and his physicians say he will recover. If I know my father he’ll be brandishing his sword ready for battle before the first war cry is sounded from the battlements.”

  I gazed at the room full of people I’d grown so fond of. “None of you will let me take the blame, and yet I know the truth.”

  “You’re the one who has suffered the most,” Asher said quietly.

  “But Sariba’s suffering has only begun.” My voice cracked, and Aunt Naomi turned me away from the servants and soldiers milling the room, guiding me to a quiet corner.

  “Jayden,” she said in low tones, “did you sleep at all last night?”

  “Very little.” Her tender concern and questions were so thoughtful while I tried to control my emotions in front of the
palace staff.

  “We are all devastated to see your beautiful wedding ruined.”

  “My wedding brought grief and death upon all of you. Chemish nearly killed, King Ephrem gone, Horeb shaming Kadesh with those mercenary soldiers. I’ve brought so much sorrow and death already.”

  “Nonsense.” Naomi’s beautiful brown eyes forced me to meet her halfway. “Jayden, don’t ever speak this way again. I’ve never seen Kadesh so happy as when he sees you walk into a room. A joyful king and queen on the throne bring stability and makes the hearts of the people happy—which in turn brings peace. Nothing that has happened is your fault. And last night . . .” Naomi’s voice stumbled with her own emotion. “You found Naria when all was chaos, and I was falling apart. My daughter is alive because of you. For that I will always be grateful.”

  Still holding my hand, Aunt Naomi turned back to face the room. I recognized King Ephrem’s bodyguard—now Kadesh’s protector—and his personal servant standing at the back.

  The dining area sat in shadow, but the sideboard held trays of herbed bread and cheese cut into triangles along with grapes, slices of melon, and decanters of fruit juice. My empty stomach threatened to embarrass me with hunger pangs.

  “Eat,” Naomi urged, filling a plate for me. “Kadesh’s crowning is about to be discussed, but everyone needs food first.”

  When she turned to pour cold water and fruit juices into goblets, I noticed her eyes swam with unshed tears. She was still reeling from the devastation of last night, too.

  The draperies at the windows were lowered to keep out the glaring sun, but my eyes burned from lack of sleep. Across the room, my father sat in a corner chair, his fists palming the chair arms with a brooding air.

  A plate of food appeared in my hands and I sank into a cushioned chair next to him. He set aside his partially eaten meal on a small table and then pressed a big, warm hand over mine, not speaking. My father had never been a man to fill silence with chatter, but his presence was comforting.

  I swallowed a bite of buttered bread and glanced up at his face. Into eyes that held compassion for me.

  He rubbed my cold fingers between his, and then brought my knuckles to his mouth for a quick, fatherly kiss, just as he used to do when I was hurt by a neglectful camel that had stepped on my toes, or angry with my sister. My eyes burned with melancholy and our idyllic past was gone.

  “I’m sorry for the loss of your marriage celebration,” he spoke, his gray beard wagging.

  “Thank you, Father,” I said, kissing his hand in return. “We’re lucky nobody else was hurt last night.”

  “I never saw Leila among the guests or tables,” he said. “Was she avoiding me?”

  “I sent her an invitation, but Aliyah, the High Priestess, denied her attendance.”

  His back stiffened and his lips set in an angry line. “The temples never used to prevent family members from seeing each other for special occasions.”

  “Aliyah has a personal vendetta against me. I haven’t wanted to talk about it, but she used to be betrothed to Kadesh.”

  My father gave a sharp intake of breath. “Your appearance here in her land is greatly unwelcome then.”

  “Kadesh broke it off with her long ago, long before we met.”

  He frowned, displeased. “It saddens me deeply that you might have interfered with a betrothed couple. But I have difficulty trusting any of the temple priestesses.”

  “Does that include Leila?”

  He shifted on his chair and took a small sip from his goblet. “You know that her choices disturb me more than I can express. I went to prison for trying to rescue her in Tadmur.”

  “I know you did, Father,” I told him softly. I paused and then added, “I went to the temple early this morning to see Leila.”

  “Is she back here at the palace?” The first sign of hope flickered in his eyes.

  I shook my head, swallowing down the tragedy of leaving her behind again. “She was anointed High Priestess this morning in a ceremony with the Egyptian magicians and priests.”

  A groan escaped his throat, and he rose from his chair to stride to the window to hide his sorrow. I quickly followed him, plucking at the sleeve of his cloak.

  “Please do not do anything rash. And do not mourn her. I promise that I will do everything I can to bring her back to us.”

  He shook his head. “Once ordained a High Priestess, she is bound to this temple for the rest of her life. There is no hope any longer.”

  “There is always hope—” I broke off, wanting to tell him about Sahmril, but I hated to destroy all hope. His small daughter was in the clutches of Aliyah who planned to use her for a sacrifice in three nights’ time. I hoped to get her back, even if it meant offering myself, but with the High Priests and temple guards, the odds of success were stacked against me. “There is always hope,” I repeated as much for myself as him.

  His dark eyes filled with such anguish for Leila that it broke my heart. “Please believe me, Father. Never stop believing in me or Kadesh. Miracles do happen. You’ve always told me that.”

  His lips cracked slightly, and he gave a small nod. “Your mother is near, I feel her all the time.”

  I wrapped my arms around his waist, and he placed a hand on my head, bringing me close to his chest. I swear teardrops fell from his face to my hair, like so many drops of hopeful desert rain.

  When I glanced up again, Uncle Josiah and Kadesh had come forward to talk to us. Josiah’s robes were immaculate, long hair coiled into a rope. The gold-plated regal collar around his neck was embedded with black garnets. “We have urgent royal business to conduct. The crowning of Kadesh as Sariba’s new king. With the passing of King Ephrem, I am Kadesh’s heir and will have the honor of making my nephew king. At this critical time, we want the Sariba citizens to be united under King Kadesh. To not crown him as soon as possible creates uncertainty with war looming.”

  Josiah took Kadesh’s hands in his, fingers thick and mottled by years of aging. His countenance held a love that I couldn’t define with words, only feelings. His hooded dark green eyes were wise with awareness of the day’s significance.

  Emotion was plain on Kadesh’s face. A haunted anguish he tried to blink away, but Josiah saw it. “My heart is weighed down, but I’m also filled with joy to know that you will take Ephrem’s place on the throne. Your father’s passing was much too soon, but you have all of his best qualities and will make a fine king.” Josiah radiated a strength to Kadesh, and I was grateful to him for it.

  Kadesh cleared his throat, eyes bloodshot from lack of rest. “Do you think Sariba is willing to accept a wounded, blind king—?”

  Josiah held up a hand, noting the listening ears of the servants. “Deep in your heart you know the answer to that. Everyone in this room will follow you to their deaths to save you and this kingdom. Never doubt that, and your people will never doubt you.” Stepping back, he addressed the room. “The crowning of King Kadesh will be in two hours’ time on the steps of the palace promenade, in full view of the citizenry.”

  “I concur,” Naomi murmured.

  Josiah gave a signal to the herald awaiting instruction. “Alert the runners to proclaim the announcement on every street. The government officials, servants, and generals should gather in the Throne Room. After we assemble, I’ll lead the procession to the public colonnade.”

  The herald stepped forward, eyes bright, fist grabbing the sword at his waist.

  “And quickly,” Josiah ordered. “We have a foreign army bearing down our throats.”

  10

  The royal suite emptied as guards and servants followed their orders.

  Within minutes, trumpets blasted out the notes of Sariba’s anthem on top of the city walls, calling the people to the palace.

  Kadesh took my hand, and for a moment, we were the only two people in the room.

  “I have to talk to you,” I whispered. “It’s a matter of life and death.”

  “Isn’t that the sum total o
f our lives together—and we’re not even married yet?”

  He was trying to get me to smile, but I had a hard time lifting my lips.

  “Come with me,” he said, pulling me into his adjoining private office. We sat on the couch, and Kadesh laced his fingers with mine, our eyes never wavering from our locked gaze.

  “In a few days is the summer solstice,” I told him. “The day of the temple sacrifices.”

  “I haven’t forgotten. It is a day seared forever into my memory.”

  I disliked reminding him. It was the same day his mother had offered herself for sacrifice to the Goddess only two years ago.

  “As much as I hate the summer sacrifices and the Sacred Marriage Rites, I can’t stop it. I can’t do anything about Aliyah until after this war is over. And if the temple rites help the people to have faith in our victory . . . I have to put that aside for now.”

  My voice faltered. “But Aliyah plans to sacrifice my sister.”

  He was startled. “Leila? One of her own priestesses?”

  “When I arrived at the temple this morning, a secret ceremony was in progress. Leila was anointed High Priestess and the Egyptian priests turned Aliyah into the Goddess.”

  “What does that mean?” Kadesh said, alarm on his face. “I don’t understand.”

  “Using their magic, the Egyptians called down the soul of the Goddess and transferred it to Aliyah. Aliyah’s power is now supreme and invincible. It was real and absolutely chilling, Kadesh. I’m frightened to even be in the same room with her.”

  His expression was disturbed. “Aliyah’s power is rising and I’m not sure what to do.”

  I gripped his fist in my lap. “Her treachery against you knows no bounds. She is in collusion with the Egyptian High Priest called Heru—and with Horeb. She’s using him in the same way she uses anyone who can help her gain power. A divine goddess in human form usurps your position as king, and she cements her power over the city. She told me she plans to make herself your wife, and then you will die and she will be sole ruler. Both Goddess and queen. After all, she’s already royalty as sister to the Queen of Sheba.”