The Warrior's Vow

by Christina Rich

  She choked down the knot forming in her throat and stiffened her spine. The years of parading in her room, pretending she was the daughter her mother was proud of, one who forced nations to war over her beauty, stole into her being. She pretended indifference, pretended she was a palace cat stalking its prey.

  Suph halted her a few feet in front of Jesse. Her heart thumped against her chest as it welled with love for Jesse. Thorns pricked her nape as Suph drew closer. She dropped her gaze to Jesse’s feet and allowed a lazy sneer to form on her lips as she followed the lines of his wrinkled tunic to his beard, and then to his dark eyes, the color of Lebanon cedar.

  “Your night was restful, I hope, Abigail,” Suph said.

  Flicking her gaze to Suph, she smiled. “Well enough.”

  “What have you decided? Will you remain loyal to this Levite, or willingly become my bride?”

  She glanced at Jesse and curled her lip, and then gazed into Suph’s evil eyes as she fought the wave of sickness roiling in her stomach. “Neither.”

  Narrowing his eyes, Suph gripped the hilt of his sword.

  “Patience, Suph. I have thought about this all night.” Forcing a calm she did not feel, she rested her palm against the captain’s bloodstained tunic. Swallowing back the bile, she lowered her voice an octave, something she’d seen Bilhah do whenever she wanted something from the palace guards. “I have spent time with his family and the Philistines. We have no chance of entering Jerusalem alive.”

  His fingers tightened around her wrist, nearly crushing her bones.

  “If you will but listen to me, Suph,” she whispered for his ears only. “The Levite was to take me to meet Joash. It’s our only way.”

  The corner of his right eyebrow twitched as he narrowed his eye. His fingers bruised her upper arm and he dragged her away from Jesse. “You ran from me, Abigail. You have a soft heart, even pleaded for the lives of his people.”

  “Yes, I did this. I was a fool.” She pulled back and tossed a glance over her shoulder at Jesse. Folding her hands in front of her, she raised her chin and forced calm into her limbs. “I have had much to consider. What kind of God would send my mother’s murderer to rescue me? I admit I am naive, having rarely left my chambers. The Levite preyed on my innocence and deceived me into believing you wished me only harm, which has left me angry. Vengeance boils in my blood. I now realize how much my mother’s daughter I am. I want to rule Judah for her. For my mother. I will go with him. To Jerusalem. I will kill Jehoiada and then I will kill this imposter just as my mother had all of my cousins.”

  “And what, my dear, will you kill them with?”

  “If only you return my knife...”

  His eyes narrowed to mere slits, cutting off her words. She drew in a breath to fortify her nerves and waited as Suph considered her for a moment. “I do not trust you, Abigail. Even so, I see no better plan.” He slipped her knife into her hands as he motioned to one of his soldiers. With his chin resting against his knuckles he began pacing. She glanced toward Jesse, his jaw as forbidding as the crags surrounding them.

  Her skin crawled with shame at her deception. However, it was the only way she saw to save Jesse. The sound of chains broke the silence and Suph’s arm rested over her shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jesse’s muscles expand, becoming the dangerous warrior everyone claimed him to be. A chill of dread snaked down her spine.

  “You will inform Nathan of your decision. I know his loyalty lies with you. He will see you protected and your plans followed.”

  Abigail drew in a shaky breath, relieved that her plan might work.

  “If you deceive me, Abigail, Jonathan will suffer far worse than the Levite.”

  A chill raced through her life’s blood as Suph turned her and the surrounding soldiers parted, revealing the source of the chains. Revealing a shell of the man she had called friend. It took all her self-control to keep up her pretense. She clamped down on her lip to keep from crying out in protest at the sight of her friend.

  “I know how much you care for him. I see it in your eyes, feel it in the way you shake, even now. And do not think it went beyond my notice all the times those two boys snuck into the palace to grant you treats.” He drew even closer, his wine-soaked breath assaulting her senses. “When news of the child’s death reaches my ear, I will release him unharmed.”

  Unharmed? Jonathan was near death as it was. His head hung to the side. His knees brushed the ground as he was unable to stand.

  “My thanks, Suph.” She blinked back a wayward tear as she acknowledged the little bit of mercy he granted her.

  “You must know, Abigail, if I do not hear in seven days’ time of the king’s death, his torment will begin.”

  The knot forming in her throat grew, suffocating her. She sucked in air and forced the knot back to her stomach. “There will be no need.”

  She turned toward Jesse. The pain evident in the brown depths of his eyes was worse than when she’d treated his wounds. She had no way to reassure him of her motives or inform him of her plan, which was now certain to fail. Would he trust her?

  A scowl stressed the corners of his eyes as she moved closer, telling her what she needed to know. If only the truth did not cause so much pain. She had hoped he’d come to know her, to know her heart.

  * * *

  Jesse did not know what sort of game she and the captain played, but he wanted no part of it, especially since Jonathan seemed to be yet another battered pawn. However, it seemed he had no choice in the matter. As long as Suph remained alive he posed a threat to King Joash and the good people of Judah.

  As Abigail moved closer her eyes pleaded with him, but the thorns pricking his nape gave him caution. He wanted to trust her, but he dared not. Not after what he’d done to her mother. Not after witnessing the whispered conversation between her and the captain. A conversation that had left the captain looking as if he’d been handed the crown.

  She halted mere inches from him. The scent of jasmine caused his chest to pound. Her nearness left him weak in the knees. Left him feeling as if he could move mountains to make her smile. To draw his hand through her chestnut tresses. To feel the softness of her cheek beneath his fingertips, the curve of her lips against his.

  “I will go with you.”

  Her words were as if a boulder had slammed against his stomach. He pressed his lips together to keep his thoughts from spilling off his tongue. Did she think Suph would allow them to just walk away? The muscles in his chest expanded as he drew in air and chose his words with care. “For what purpose?”

  “The captain has seen to reason. I am no good to him. Not when he’s surrounded by your people and the Philistines.” She worried her hands together and bit down on her lip, evidence she was not as confident as she pretended. Suph would not give up his pawn so easily, of this he was certain. What purpose was there in revealing Jonathan’s condition to her? “Suph will never enter the city gates alive. He now knows this. He is freeing me of the contracts. Allowing me to do as I please.”

  Jesse glanced over her shoulder. The captain’s eyes remained hard and unmoving. Jonathan collapsed to the ground unconscious. Anger thundered like a thousand horses racing to war in Jesse’s blood.

  “He is granting you your freedom, Levite.”

  It took all of his self-control to keep from flinching at her cutting word. The lack of his name could only mean she had not forgiven him for her mother’s death. Just as well. He could never court her, not even if he was inclined to do so, especially as callous as she now seemed to be. How could she ignore Jonathan, the man she had called friend, as he fought for his life?

  “You would travel with your mother’s murderer?” He kept his tone hard, commanding. Accusing. He gave her credit for not flinching, but she needed to know he did not trust her. Not now. However, that did not mean the loss of color in
her cheeks did not make him feel regret and a great deal of guilt. His wish was never to cause her further pain.

  Composing herself like the princess she was, he watched her gather her fortitude. A bit of pride welled in his chest before he tamped it down.

  She stared him straight in the eye. “You promised me the truth.”

  “Aye, and the truth you shall have when we reach Jerusalem. What of Jonathan? What of your captain? He will not just allow me to leave.”

  Abigail twisted around and glanced at Suph. “Unbind him.”

  The captain laughed. “I think not, Abigail. Your Levite is correct. I cannot allow you two to walk away. Not yet.”

  She clenched her fingers at her side. “But I thought—”

  “Yes. I will release you both.” His eyes scanned the high places. “But not until I am certain his men will not pounce upon me once I do.” The captain crossed his arms over his chest. “For now, we will travel together. It is my understanding, Levite, that you and this traitor have become friends.” He nodded toward Jonathan.

  “I would not call us friends.” Jesse did not wish to give this man any more power over him than he already had.

  “Whatever it is you call it, I am certain you would not wish to see him harmed further. As I informed our dear Abigail, if your men descend upon us after your release, he will be the first to die.”

  Tears threatened to spill from Abigail’s childlike green eyes and somehow he knew, no matter what she had planned with the captain, it was not meant to cause anyone harm, least of all the King of Judah, especially given her reaction to the child the night before. But he had to play along, even if it caused her more discomfort. “Why does this man’s life matter to me?”

  Suph yanked on Abigail’s hair, eliciting a cry of distress from her. Jesse leaped forward, but was yanked back by his bound arms before he fell to the ground. “It matters to you, Levite, because it matters to her. I did not become captain without observing things. Do not think it has gone beyond my notice how you watch her. How she watches you. Perhaps the two of you have already become man and wife.”

  Abigail sucked in a sharp breath as Jesse growled, “As a man of honor, I would not take her to wife without the permission of her closest kin.”

  Suph released her and knelt down in front of Jesse. “A man of honor, you say. What sort of man kills the Queen of Judah? One of honor? I think not. Perhaps one bent on revenge.”

  Jesse climbed to his feet and stared down at the captain. “I have no need for revenge. The queen was killed out of duty. If I had not done it, someone else would have. Perhaps even you, Suph.”

  Abigail’s gaze darted between them. Suph smiled as he rose. “You know more than any man should.”

  “Do I?” Jesse kept his eyes on Suph’s. It would not do him or Abigail any good if he revealed all he knew about Suph. Like how Athaliah’s faithful captain had grown weary of waiting for her to make good on her promise to marry him. “Then again, mayhap I know nothing and only speculate. There were many attempts on the queen’s life before the temple guard stormed the palace. I just happened to be successful.”

  He disliked the way Abigail cringed and seemed to pull away. How she seemed to sidle closer to the captain.

  “None of that matters. What is done is done.” Suph flicked his hand in the air. The sound of chains being dragged along the rocks told Jesse Jonathan was being moved. “We will leave within the hour. You will signal your men to stand down. If they attack, Jonathan dies. Abigail dies, and then you die.”

  “You do realize, Captain, our lives are of no consequence. Not in comparison to that of King Joash.”

  Suph chuckled. “That is where I believe you are wrong. You see, your life means something to your brothers. Abigail’s life means something to you and Jonathan’s means something to her. Your men will allow us to leave this area. Once we are in the open, I will cut you free and you can take this—” Suph flung his hand toward Abigail “—this pitiful excuse for a woman with you.”

  The inward wince at Suph’s insult caused Jesse’s fingers to twitch. He might not understand what was going on, but Abigail was anything but pitiful, nothing like her mother had been. “What of Jonathan?”

  “I will allow Nathan to attend you. Jonathan will stay with me until I am certain your men will not attack.” Suph slid his gaze toward Abigail. She dropped her chin to her chest and worried her hands in her tunic. What were these two hiding?

  “And then?”

  “I guess we will see, won’t we, Abigail?”

  A tear slid down Abigail’s dusty cheek. Jesse’s heart lurched and his arms ached with the need to pull her close and comfort her. Suph had been correct about one thing. Her life did matter to him. More than it should. If it didn’t, he would have no problem signaling to Ianatos and Isa to rain arrows down upon Suph and his men. But it did matter. His emotions had been taken over by the curse of love. Every fiber of his being froze. Did he love her? He tilted his head and considered the woman being led away from him. She was no doubt beautiful and compassionate and loyal to those she cared about, but was that enough for love? Even now, knowing she loved God? He just did not know. To love her would cost him a future, for he could never become her husband. Not when he was responsible for her mother’s death. Not when she deserved to marry a king. And he would never marry another if his heart belonged to someone else. To her.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “He is watching.”

  Abigail tore a piece from her cake of bread and tossed it to a hovering bird. “Of course he is.” She tucked a small bite into her mouth and chewed, ignoring the stale taste. “After my defiance, do you expect Suph to trust me? He may think me a child, easily swayed, but he will not be caught unaware by me again.”

  Nathan scrubbed his hand over his beard. “I do not speak of the captain.”

  On its own accord, her chin rose. Her heart hitched as she focused on Jesse. His eyes remained blank, hard. Dropping her gaze, she toyed with the flat bread. “Should I have Suph bind his eyes?”

  And hers. Everywhere she turned, Jesse was there. She had tried to avoid him ever since they’d left the pass, but with so few traveling among them, it had been impossible. When she walked behind him, she often found herself staring at the curls gracing his shoulders. When she walked in front of him, she’d felt the touch of his gaze. And the scent of sandalwood clinging to the tunic she wore was a constant reminder of the man who possessed her heart.

  Her friend rolled his neck before crossing his arms over his chest. “What game is it you play, Abigail?”

  If she was to convince Suph she was agreeable to his plan, she needed to convince Nathan, which meant she could not tell him her true intentions. “It is not a game, my friend. If you have not noticed, I am soon to be married.”

  Nathan took a sip from a flask and then rested his arms against his knees. “Why, Abigail? Suph has no affection for you. He only wishes to use you to gain something that is not rightfully his.”

  Her fingers gripped the bread tight until it crumbled. “You surprise me, Nathan. I did not think you liked the Levite.”

  “It is the captain I do not like. There are things—”

  “And there are things about the Levite you do not know. He is no different than Suph when it comes to using me to gain his will.”

  “The captain is cruel.”

  “And the Levite murdered my mother. Whose sins are greater?” Her heart pounded at her own words. She did not harbor resentment against Jesse, but she could not let Nathan know, lest he discern the truth of her plan to rescue Jesse and King Joash from Suph’s wickedness. If Nathan discovered her ruse, Suph would sense it because her friend had never been able to tell falsehoods, and then they’d all lose their lives.

  Nathan drew in a harsh breath. “Is this a lie Suph told you? He will say anyt
hing to gain your trust.”

  “Suph did not lie.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “Aye, Nathan. The Levite confessed his deed.” She recalled the look in Jesse’s eyes, the way he had closed in on himself. She willed her tears to remain hidden. He had vowed to protect the rightful King of Judah. She knew Jesse’s heart, knew his kindness. If her mother would have turned from her wicked ways, Jesse would have spared her. Abigail had no doubt.

  “It is sorry I am. I know you love him.”

  She shook her head against the truth burning her ears, tearing at her heart. “I cared for his wounds, Nathan. I brought healing to the man who killed my mother. I helped him escape.”

  And she’d do it all over again, but if she was to gain Nathan’s help in getting Jesse to safety, she needed him to believe in her revenge. “A marriage to Suph is a just punishment, is it not?”

  “You have never been one to watch a being suffer and you should not be punished for offering help to a wounded man, Abigail. No matter what Jesse has done, I think he is a good man.”

  As did she. She rubbed the toe of her sandal against a pebble. “Suph holds your brother. If we do not convince Jesse to take us to Jehoiada and the king, he will torture him.” She did not need to tell Nathan what that meant. He’d seen Jesse’s wounds and he was much more capable of handling such torment than Jonathan.

  “What is your plan, Abigail?”

  “Jesse needs to believe Suph is giving us our freedom so he will take me to Jerusalem as promised.” She drew in a shaky breath and prayed Nathan would believe what she had to say next. “Then we do away with the king.”

  She felt Nathan’s gaze on her. “You think to kill the king, to have me do it? What of my brother? No matter what you do, Suph will still kill him.”

  This she feared, but she could do little else to save him. However, she would try. If she failed, at least she would remove herself from Suph’s talons so she could no longer be used against Jesse to threaten the good of Judah and King Joash.