He blinked. Looked at Eliel, who smiled and nodded. Returned his gaze to Marah, who raised her brows.
“You want to help with the sheep?”
“I know what my father thinks. I no longer agree with him. And yes, I want to help until they return.”
Until they return. How could she be so confident? “All right.” Zadok shrugged. What could he lose?
Eliel joined them. “I’ll help too. You shouldn’t have to be out here alone. You and Reuben can’t do everything.”
They led the sheep to the water. He checked the lambs as they came up from the spring, kneeling beside them and inspecting their ears, eyes, heads, legs, anywhere they might have a cut or scrape.
“What are you doing?” asked Marah.
“Checking for any wounds.”
Marah watched a few moments, then knelt before the next sheep that wandered up from the water. She imitated him, glancing sideways frequently to make sure she didn’t forget anything.
Maybe Marah really had changed. He wasn’t giving her credit for it yet, though.
They checked the rest, applying oil when needed, then allowed them to graze. Marah looked over at Eliel and smiled.
“You really love him, don’t you?”
“When Eliel said it was over, I was devastated. I cried for two days. Then I asked him how I could fix it. I thought going to him and begging him to take me back would be the most humiliating thing I would ever do in my life, but then he told me what I was like to be around. That was even worse. I sat there and listened to it all. How I made other people feel, how I talked to them. And I vowed I would change.”
Neshika bumped against Marah’s legs.
Zadok held his breath.
Marah knelt and held the sheep’s face in her hands. “And who are you?”
Zadok knelt beside her. “That’s Neshika.” The lamb licked Marah’s face. “And that’s why.” He waited for Marah’s reaction.
Marah laughed, then wiped her face on the sleeve on her tunic. “They are beautiful, aren’t they?”
Zadok shook his head. If Yahweh could change Marah, maybe he could bring back Arisha.
Tears burned her eyes. She had fully expected to be killed, thrown in prison, or at the very least returned to the temple, and with the festival starting soon, she would be expected to end up right where she was a year ago.
Instead, Yahweh sent her to the only ally she had in the entire city of Arad.
Danel ran to her and embraced her tightly, wrapping his arms around her before she had a chance to reach for him. Arms pinned against his chest, sobs wracked her body as relief poured through her. For now, at least, she was safe.
“Let her go! She is my wife! Don’t touch her!” Jonah grabbed Danel by the arm and jerked him away from Arisha. He drew his fist back and slammed it against Danel’s jaw, knocking him to the floor.
Rafael stepped in front of Arisha and backed her away. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”
Natan and Melech formed a barrier between her and Danel.
“He didn’t hurt me!” She tried to break through. “He’s my friend. He saved my life!”
“What are you talking about?” Jonah shot his gaze from Arisha to Danel, his fist cradled in his other hand.
“He helped me escape from here when I was … in danger. He taught me about Yahweh. If not for him, I would be dead. Or worse.” She shouldered her way back to the older man and helped him rise. “Are you hurt?” She hovered her fingers over his jaw.
“Don’t worry about me. Your husband had every right to try to protect you.”
“He’s not my husband.”
Danel frowned, but she ignored it. Time for that later. Right now she only felt relief. “Out of all the people in Arad we could have been sent to, Yahweh sent us here.” Her eyes burned with unshed tears.
“I thought I’d never see you again. Thank Yahweh, He has kept you safe. At least until now.” His face grew solemn. “And now you are right back in harm’s way.”
“I’d be dead already if not for you.”
One corner of his mouth tipped up into a smile. “You made it to the camp?”
“I did. Moses’s sister found me. And I married.”
“But not to him?” He glanced at Jonah, who still glared at him.
“To Kamose’s great-nephew.”
Danel’s eyes grew as wide as apricots. “I told you Yahweh had a plan for you.” He laughed and then clapped a hand over his mouth. “I’m supposed to be interrogating you.”
“Ariel, who is this? What’s going on?” Jonah neared, scowling.
“Arisha”—he chuckled—“and I have been friends for many years. And Kamose taught me about Yahweh, so very long ago. Since then I have learned everything I can about your God. I no longer worship the gods of our fathers and our king, but I must keep it a closely guarded secret. In fact, only this morning I was released from a cell. Keret found out I worship Yahweh. He let me out to talk to you.”
“Why you?”
“I know more about the Israelites than anyone else in the kingdom. I’m supposed to get information from you.”
“What information does he want?”
“I’ll get to that. First, there is someone else I want you to meet. Another secret worshiper.” He stepped to the door, opened it and whispered to the guard.
“Who is it you want us to meet?” asked Arisha when Danel returned.
“The soldier that helped me and my mother with Kamose’s escape. They created a commotion in the hallway, and I led Kamose outside so he could leave the city.”
“He’s a soldier?” asked Micah, frowning.
“Was a soldier. Now he’s commander of all Arad’s army. So he’s in a powerful position to help us try to get you out of here.”
Three raps sounded on the cedar door. Danel grinned as he opened it.
A tall, broad-shouldered Canaanite entered—the commander from outside.
“Aqhat, you will never believe who our guests are.”
“The hostages?” The warrior raised a brow. “Who?”
Danel pointed as he spoke. This one is Jonah, next to him is Micah, and this one”—he wrapped his arm around Arisha’s shoulder—“is Arisha. She is married to Zadok, Kamose’s great-nephew.”
Aqhat’s jaw dropped for only a moment, then his face clouded. “Yahweh help us. If Keret finds out, he’ll kill you both himself.”
Zadok scanned his flock, unable to tell by sense alone today whether one was missing. His mind was still too occupied.
Yahweh, protect her. Wherever she is, keep her safe.
“Zadok?”
“Moses, what are you doing all the way out here?”
“I came to see how you are doing.”
He shrugged. “How would you be doing? If Yahweh had brought you someone, told you to take care of her, and then taken her away?”
“But you do not know that He has taken her from you yet, do you?”
“Maybe not. But I certainly didn’t take very good care of her. You yourself said that was my most important job, and I utterly failed. I let her be captured when she was practically right next to me, and I don’t even know where she is!” He huffed. “No wonder Yahweh doesn’t let me fight.”
“Those are some pretty serious assumptions.”
“How else would you see it?” Zadok threw his hands in the air.
“She wasn’t ‘right next to you.’”
“Exactly! I should never have let her wander off alone.”
“She didn’t ‘wander off.’ She was what, fifty strides away? Retrieving a beloved sheep?”
“Doesn’t matter. She was alone.”
“And do you think you can be with her every moment of every day for the rest of your lives?”
“If I have to.”
“Is that really what Miriam asked you to do?”
Zadok thought a moment, but remained silent.
“Now, as for fighting. No one has been fighting, because we have not yet actua
lly been to war. You have not been drilling because you were raising sheep for the Tabernacle as Aaron asked you to. And look around you.” He spread his hands as he twisted from side to side. “You started with … how many?”
“Eight rams and sixteen ewes.”
“And now, in five years, you have over five hundred sheep. If you were drilling every day that would not have been possible. And we would not be ready next year to make the sacrifices Yahweh has commanded. You are making all that possible. And Joshua and Aaron both knew you would ready to fight when the day comes.”
“That’s not what everyone else thinks.”
“Who cares? Yahweh knows the truth. You know the truth. You have obeyed, and that is all that matters.”
“So what do I do now?”
“Be patient. Take care of the sheep. And wait to see what Yahweh will do.”
“Just be patient?”
“Take care of the sheep, and be ready for whatever He asks of you next.” Without another word, Moses turned and headed back to camp.
Zadok watched him leave.
Wait to see what Yahweh will do. How did Moses always manage to make impossible things sound so easy?
Arisha cringed. Danel obviously hadn’t told his friend everything.
The wazir grimaced. “Keret will kill her. But not only because she married Kamose’s nephew.”
Jonah spread his hands wide. “Why would it matter that she married Zadok?”
Aqhat pulled the bench away from the table and sat, grabbing some grapes. “Kamose is the only prisoner who ever escaped, and Keret’s never forgotten it. He’s held a grudge for forty years. He’d hate anyone even slightly connected to him.”
Danel led Arisha to the bench and pushed the bowl of food toward her, but the thought of eating made her stomach turn.
“That’s true,” Danel said. “But what’s worse, is that last year, Arisha was chosen as his consort for the fertility rites. She came to me, and I helped her leave here and get to the Israelite camp. If Keret, or the priestesses, find out she’s back…”
Aqhat stood, his eyes narrowed. “You never told me about this.”
“I didn’t need anyone else knowing, being responsible. Didn’t he send you to look for her?”
She’d assumed they sent someone after her, but she didn’t know for sure.
Aqhat turned his unreadable gaze to her. He nodded.
Danel sat beside Arisha and poured her some water. “I knew he would. I didn’t want you put in the position of lying, or leading patrols away from her. Anyway, I think she was already in their camp by the time he knew she was gone. You’d helped one person escape already. That’s enough for the commander in one lifetime, don’t you think?” Danel grinned.
“Does he know you helped?” asked Jonah.
“Arisha? or Kamose?” asked Danel.
“Kamose.”
Aqhat grinned. “Do you think we’d be standing here if he did?”
“Then I take it he doesn’t know you worship Yahweh, either.”
Aqhat shook his head, his mouth full of grapes.
Danel rose, ambled toward the sleeping room where most of the youngest shepherds had collapsed onto the beds by now. He turned to face Aqhat. “So now what?”
Aqhat motioned to her. “To begin with, we keep her presence a secret.”
“Obviously. Then what?” asked Danel.
“You’re supposed to get their plans, right?”
“And report to Keret.”
The commander grabbed a chunk of bread. “Then he’ll want to launch an attack, which he can’t do without me.” He ripped a large piece from the loaf and stuffed it in his mouth. After pacing and chewing a few moments, a crooked smile appeared on his face. “We need to stall him.”
“For how long? Why?”
“Wait here.” Aqhat stood and left the room.
Jonah huffed, pointing at Aqhat. “Where is he going?”
“It’s quite irritating when he does that.” Danel lifted a shoulder. “You’ll get used to it.”
“I don’t intend to be here that long.” He glared at Danel.
A few moments later another three-rap knock sounded, and Aqhat slipped in, glancing behind him as he did. Another soldier followed. “This is Banno.”
Danel led the younger man closer. “He’s one of the other believers. There are about twenty of us. We meet in small groups, in homes.”
Arisha looked him over. He was about the same age as Zadok. A little taller, a little more muscle. His hair was lighter and his eyes were set wider. “And why is he here?”
“He will go to your camp, and inform your people of our plans. If we work together, we can free you.” Aqhat sounded quite confident.
Arisha stared back. “How much do you trust him?”
“With my life.”
“With ours, you mean.”
“With everyone’s. If he fails, we all die.”
Jonah exhaled a forceful breath. “All right. But how do we get my people to trust him?”
Aqhat pulled an object wrapped in leather from his belt. “Banno takes this as proof he is friendly.” He held the object in one hand, and with the other removed the leather, revealing a long gold dagger, in its sheath. Four bands of small red carnelian jewels circled the handle. “This belonged to Kamose.”
“I thought it was lost forever.” Danel’s eyes grew wide as he reverently fingered the weapon.
“I found it hidden in the commander’s room when I moved in.”
Danel whistled softly. “I assumed someone had stolen it. Guess I was right.”
“May I?” Arisha held her hand out.
“Of course.” Aqhat handed her the dagger.
It was heavier than it looked. It was spotless, and extremely sharp. “It’s extraordinary.” She turned it over. “I heard about it. Zadok’s sabba Bezalel made this. Before he ever knew Kamose.”
“His grandfather made it? The craftsmanship is extraordinary.”
“How do we know that’s real? That Bezalel made it or Kamose ever owned it?” asked Jonah.
“Because it matches this perfectly.” She pulled the pendant from under her tunic and held it out with her thumb. “Bezalel made these from Kamose’s arm bands. The carnelians are smaller, but look at the way the stones are set into the gold. Exactly like these are.”
Jonah nodded. “All right. I’m convinced. Will anyone in camp recognize it?”
“Zadok’s abba would.” She tucked her necklace back under her tunic.
“Let’s finalize the plans, then we’ll send him on his way. It will take him maybe a day and a half to get there, they’ll have a day to get organized, and two to get back. It should work out perfectly.”
“Perfectly for what?” asked Jonah.
Aqhat’s eyes twinkled and a grin took over his face. “You’ll see.”
Twenty-two
6th day of Elul
THE SETTING SUN signaled the end of another day. Another day without Arisha. In the middle of summer, plenty of sunlight remained, but his stomach rumbled and it was time to return to the tents for the evening meal.
A solitary figure approached from the north. Male, by his gait. He wasn’t wearing an Israelite tunic. A nomad would be in a large group. Whoever he was, it couldn’t be good.
The man came closer. He wore a leather belt and leather sandals laced to his knees—soldier’s sandals.
“Eliel!” He called over his shoulder. Where was he? He ran through the flock, not caring that he might frighten them. “Eliel!”
He found him with Marah behind a tamarisk tree. Eliel pulled away from her, his cheeks reddening. At the moment Zadok couldn’t care less whether they were being inappropriate or not. “Eliel, come quickly. Someone’s coming!”
“Who?”
“If I knew I wouldn’t be calling for you now, would I?”
Zadok ran back, Eliel following.
The stranger saw them and put his hands in the air.
Zadok’s hand drifted
to the dagger on his belt. Eliel grasped his staff by the end and held it like a club.
As soon as the man was in hearing distance, he shouted. “I come in peace.” His words were heavily accented, but understandable. He repeated the phrase.
Zadok relaxed a bit, but his hand remained on the dagger’s handle.
The stranger neared, arms still raised.
Eliel raised the staff higher, and the man’s face registered alarm. He put both hands in front. “No. No! Please, I bring news of your men.”
Zadok eyed the intruder. A strong, young man, he’d apparently been traveling for a couple days. He wore a dagger, only long enough for his own protection. He was filthy, disheveled, and looked exhausted. He held up a piece of papyrus, rolled and sealed. “This is for Ah-mose.”
Zadok’s heart slammed against his chest. How could he know Abba’s name? He turned to Eliel.
His friend shrugged. “Who knows? It’s worth a try.”
The man nodded and smiled. “Ah-mose,” he repeated.
“All right. Let’s go then,” Zadok said.
Eliel grasped the man’s bicep and headed for camp.
When they reached the fire pit, Eliel shoved the man to his knees. “This man says he has news of our men. He has a note, but it’s sealed.” Eliel handed the papyrus to Abba.
Abba looked the man over as he unrolled it. When he finished, he looked at him again.
The intruder reached behind his back and withdrew a long object, then handed it to Ahmose.
Abba unwrapped it and gasped.
Zadok stepped closer to see what had drawn such a reaction. A long dagger, with bands of carnelian on the handle.
Abba put his thumb and fingers over his eyes for a moment. He nodded at the stranger. “Let him up.”
“What?” Zadok was going to burst with curiosity if he didn’t get some information soon.
“Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” Eliel looked from Abba to Zadok to the stranger and back to Abba. Apparently he felt the same way. “Where are our men? And Arisha? Is she with them?”
While they were talking, Zivah, Imma and the children approached. Zivah’s eyes grew wide. “What’s wrong?”
Abba faced the group. “All right. Here’s what I know. Arisha, Micah, Jonah and the others were captured by patrolling soldiers from Arad. They’ve been sending out patrols every two weeks for months waiting for us to attack. Apparently they are holding our people trying to get information on our plans. Now, the king is the prince who held Kamose—”
The Walls of Arad Page 22