by Ted Dekker
They cleaned the camp quickly and prepared to leave. Thomas saddled his horse and walked toward Chelise, who was working with her mount. He spoke loudly enough for all of them to hear.
“I don’t know where you found those rabbits, Johan, but I insist you find more like them for our celebration tonight. There was something in the meat.”
Mikil looked at him. “And what are we celebrating this time?”
Thomas put his hand on Chelise’s neck and drew her close. “Love,” he said and kissed her gently on her lips.
The others were as surprised as Chelise.
“Love it is,” Johan said, glancing at Suzan.
Thomas winked at Chelise, who smiled sheepishly. It would take her more time to feel at ease in their company, but Thomas would remove any obstacles.
They rode south into the desert. Normally a journey through the hot dunes would be a quiet, plodding affair, but not this one. They settled into three pairs with Johan and Suzan leading. Thomas and Chelise trailed behind Mikil and Jamous. The hours didn’t pass slowly enough for them to plumb the depths of their experiences and theories. But with each passing mile Thomas felt his love for the woman who rode beside him grow.
He had a hard time keeping his eyes off her. Fortunately, there were no cliffs to ride off, or he might have. She rode like a warrior, straddling the saddle, and she had a habit of resting one leg at a time across her steed’s shoulder. When he pointed out the cleverness of her riding posture, the others just looked at him with blank stares. To Thomas it was brilliant, though he tried it himself without much success.
She also kept her head up as she rode, chin level, like only a princess could, he thought.
Midday they came to the Oasis of Plums, as the Horde had named it. Chelise excused herself and bathed. When she emerged around the plum trees, Thomas had to look twice to be sure it was her. She’d washed her black hair and applied an oil that made it shine. Flowers again, and the scented morst, but she’d also applied a blue powder under her eyebrows and to her lips. She wore gold earrings and a matching band around her neck. She might have stepped out of the histories’ ancient Egypt.
Thomas immediately hurried over to her, took her hands, and declared that she was stunning. The others agreed. And this time, he thought, they actually meant it.
That afternoon they rode six abreast and reminisced about the colored forest. The Roush, the fruit, the lake, the tall colored trees. Chelise asked a hundred questions, like a child first learning that the world was round.
Try as they did, they couldn’t find rabbits for a feast that night, but Mikil found two large snakes, which they filleted and roasted over the coals. The meat was sweet and satisfying. Chelise and Johan showed them how to dance, Horde-style, and then Suzan led them in a Circle dance. They debated the merits of each and laughed till their sides hurt.
Johan and Mikil urged Thomas to dream, but he insisted that another night without knowing what was happening with Carlos wouldn’t hurt any of them. For all he knew, he’d been sleeping for only a few minutes in the other reality, and he wasn’t interested in interrupting his romance with Chelise. For that matter, he might consider eating the rhambutan forever and never dreaming of the virus again.
They broke camp the next morning and resumed their journey south. The tribe was camped four hours away—they would arrive before noon.
“You’re sure they’ll understand?” Chelise asked.
“Of course, they will. You aren’t the first.”
“This is entirely different. I’m not coming to drown.”
Thomas glanced at the others. “They’ll get used to the idea. A day may come when you’re more comfortable with the drowning.”
“No. I’m the daughter of Qurong, princess of the Horde. I have my limits. It’s one thing to fall in love with an albino and make friends with the Circle; it’s another thing to become an albino.”
She could not know how painful her words were. They hadn’t spoken of what would become of their love, but they both knew that some things were irreconcilable. The Horde would never accept peace with the Circle, not while Qurong was their leader and Woref led their forces. And Chelise couldn’t expect to be princess of the Horde while living with the Circle.
Chelise looked over at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. You know that I love you.”
“And you know that I love you.” He winked at her. “That’s all that matters.”
“A rider!” Suzan pulled up.
Thomas followed her gaze to the south. A plume of dust rose from a lone rider charging hard toward them.
“Is he from our tribe?” Mikil asked.
“He must be. The next closest tribe is a hundred miles from here.”
Thomas slapped his horse’s rump. “Let’s go!”
They galloped out to meet the rider.
“It’s Cain!” Suzan shouted, leaning low over her mount. “There’s trouble.”
Cain reined in hard. His eyes were bloodshot. “Thomas . . .” He glanced at Chelise and back. His horse snorted and sidestepped. “The village was attacked. My brother’s dead with nine others. They took half of us before we could escape.”
“Slowly, man! Who attacked?” But Thomas knew who. “When?”
“The Horde . . . a division, at least, last night. William sent me out to bring back Johan.”
“William’s in command? Who was taken?”
“Yes, William. The Horde took twenty-four trapped in one of the canyons. Men, women, children. They caught us without mounts in the middle of the night.”
Alarm flooded Thomas’s veins. “My son and daughter?”
“They’re safe.”
His heart eased.
“William is still at the camp?”
“A mile east.”
Thomas spurred his horse. “Cain, follow as fast as you can.” Their horses were fresh, and they would outrun Cain. “Let’s ride!”
“Thomas!”
He looked back and saw that Chelise sat on her steed, stricken with fear. “We’ll catch you,” he called to Mikil. They galloped ahead.
Thomas swung around and drew up beside her. “This changes nothing.”
“There’s more, Thomas,” Cain said.
Thomas reached out and put his hand on Chelise’s neck. “You’re with me, my love. Nothing will happen to you, I swear it.”
She hesitated. The Horde would want to retaliate. She was assuming the same about the tribe, despite all she’d seen.
“Trust me, Chelise.”
“Okay.”
Thomas glanced at Cain. “What more?”
Cain stared at them, eyes round.
“Well, what?” Thomas demanded, pulling his horse around.
“William will tell you.”
He glared at the man. They had no time for this. “Let’s go!”
32
THEY FOUND the tribe’s camp first. What was left of it. The canvas tents had been shredded by swords. Pots and pans were scattered, cots smashed, chickens and goats slaughtered and left to rot.
Several large bloodstains marked the spots where some of the ten had been slain. The bodies were probably with William, awaiting cremation, as was their custom.
Thomas led the others through the camp, sickened. At times like these he wondered if their policy of nonviolence was worthless. Hadn’t Justin himself once engaged in battle?
He set his jaw and rode slowly, keeping his anger in check. With a single sword he could take down twenty of the Scabs, but that was no longer who he wanted to be.
“Find them, Suzan,” he ordered. Cain still hadn’t caught up.
She took a trail that led to the cliffs above the canyon and sped east. They trotted through the canyon below her, waiting for her signal.
No one spoke. They each knew every tribe member as part of a family. Now ten of them had been killed and twenty-four taken captive.
He looked at Chelise, who drew her hood around her face and watched him tentatively. He w
anted to tell her it was okay, that they would round the next bend to discover that it had all been a mistake.
A whistle cut through the air. “She’s found them,” Mikil said.
What remained of the tribe was hunkered down in a wash, one mile east, as Cain had said. Thomas saw them while they were still two hundred yards out. He slowed his horse and studied the lay of the land.
They had four escape routes in the event of a second attack, however unlikely it was at this point. From their position, all the surrounding cliffs were in clear view. William had chosen well.
“Thomas.” Chelise’s voice was small. “What’s going to happen?”
He reached out and took her hand as they rode with the others. “Nothing’s going to happen. We will mourn our loss and find a new camp. They are with Elyon now.”
“And to me?”
“You’re with me. They will embrace you. Your enemy’s Woref, not the Circle.”
William waited for them with Suzan and several men. The survivors, roughly twenty, were gathered behind them, some prostrate in mourning, others seated quietly, a few studying the surrounding cliffs for any sign of trouble.
Samuel and Marie ran out, and Thomas dropped to hug them. They were used to running from the Horde, but their wide eyes betrayed a new fear.
“Thank Elyon.”
“I’m afraid, Papa,” Marie said.
He held her tight. “No need. We are in Justin’s hands.” He clasped his son’s shoulder. “Thank you for seeing to your sister. You’re a strong one, Samuel.”
“Yes, Father.”
Thomas remounted and nudged his horse on. The tribe seemed relieved to see them. All except for William. He stood his ground like a man receiving a rebellious son. Johan and Mikil dismounted and hurried past William to console those who mourned.
“That’s far enough, Thomas,” William snapped.
There was trouble here. “It’s okay, Chelise,” he said quietly, squeezing her hand.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” William said. “I see you’ve collected your Scab. How considerate of you to bring this trouble on us.”
Thomas stopped his horse ten feet from the man. Three others stood behind him, arms folded. Thomas studied William and chose silence.
“The Horde left us a message,” William continued. He looked at Chelise and scowled. Thomas fought the impulse to ride his horse through the man.
“Take your eyes off her! This is Chelise, daughter of Qurong, and she is to be my wife.” He wasn’t sure of the latter, but he felt compelled to say it. To shout if he must.
“We know who she is!” William shouted. “She is the cause of this great tragedy.”
“You blame a Scab who leaves the Horde to find the Circle? I thought it was our purpose to save those who needed it.”
“She looks scaly enough to me. And it seems that Woref wants his scaly whore back. If she isn’t returned to the city within three days’ time, he will execute the twenty-four albinos he’s taken.”
Chelise’s hand twitched in his and he held it tight.
“Never! I won’t let him lay a hand on her head. Ever!”
“Then you will send twenty-four of our family to their deaths.”
“I will go,” Chelise said quietly, pulling her hand free. “If Suzan will ride with me to the edge of the city, I’ll go now.”
Now Thomas panicked. He gripped his head. “No!” He suddenly felt compelled to get her off her horse. There would be no more riding today.
He slid to the ground, took her hand, and reached to help her dismount. She hesitated, then swung down.
Thomas put an arm around her. “Not another word about this!” he scolded William. “Have you no sense about you, man?”
Chelise turned to him. “He’s right, Thomas. Woref will kill them. Or he’ll kill half of them and demand again. I won’t have the blood of these innocent people on my head.”
She spoke like a princess, which made him even more desperate. There was a glint of fear in her eyes, but she stood tall.
Thomas spun to William. The whole tribe was now looking at him. “You see? Does this sound like a Scab? She’s more honorable than you!”
“She’s only agreeing to return to her vomit,” William said. “She’s not giving her life or anything as noble as you would imagine.”
Thomas was furious. “Council! I call a council.”
They just stared at him.
“Now! Suzan . . .”
“I’ll stay with Chelise,” Suzan said, stepping around William. “And I, for one, find this appalling.” She took Chelise’s arm. “I am with Thomas, whatever he says.”
But Chelise wasn’t ready to go without her say. “Thomas, I insist—”
“No!” He calmed his voice. “No, my love, no, no. I can’t let you go. Never. Not like this.”
Then he turned and walked away without giving her the chance to argue.
It was their second council in less than a week, and the circumstances were eerily similar. They dispensed with the seated discussion and settled for pacing and arm waving. Only their traditional call to Elyon even marked it as a true council meeting.
“If you had listened to me, none of this would have happened,” William said. “Suzan may agree with you, but I’m sure not a single other member does.”
“Then none of them has the true sense of Elyon’s love,” Thomas snapped.
“Who can know his love?”
“Surely you remember, William. All of you! Has it been so long since we watched Justin drown for us?”
“Then let Chelise give herself as Justin did!” William shouted. “Woref may take some flesh from her hide, but he won’t kill her. Otherwise he will kill our friends.”
“I’m not sure that Thomas is wrong,” Johan said.
“Me neither,” Mikil agreed.
“Then you’re as foolish as he.” He shoved a finger in the direction of the camp. “What would you suggest, that we all just lie down and die for this woman?”
Thomas paced and ran both hands through his hair. “No. I suggest that I go in her place.”
“He’s not asking for you.”
“No, but we have three days.” The rough form of a plan gathered, and he spoke quickly. “If I ride hard, I can reach the city in a day and offer myself in exchange for the twenty-four.”
William seemed taken back. “If Woref wanted you, he would have demanded you.”
“Let him object. We have time! If Qurong refuses my offer, then we agree with his demands. But he’ll agree because he thinks like a Scab leader. He will find me far more valuable than twenty-four commoners.”
“Then he’ll kill you,” Mikil said.
“Not as long as you have Chelise. Think whatever you want about Qurong, but he cares as much for his daughter as he does my capture. Don’t you see?”
William frowned. “Have you considered the possibility that this goes beyond simple negotiation with the Horde?”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning this trouble started with your infatuation with a Shataiki whore. You’re acting like Tanis acted at the crossing. Maybe this is Elyon’s way of purging the Circle of this nonsense.”
A tremble ran through Thomas’s hands. It was all he could do to keep them at his sides.
“You speak once more against Chelise and I’ll trade you for the twenty-four,” Johan said. “Thomas is right. You’ve lost your sense of Elyon’s love. Perhaps you should try drowning again.”
William scowled.
“I’ll go with you,” Mikil said.
“It will be—”
“I don’t care how dangerous it is. You’ll need help with this.”
“I will go as well,” Johan said. “There’s also the matter of the dreams.”
“Forget the dreams! I’m not sure I trust William with Chelise. I need you to stay here to keep him away from her.”
With a parting glance at William, Thomas walked away, ending the council. No need nor time for a
formal decision. He’d made up his mind, with or without the council’s full agreement.
Chelise hurried toward him as soon as he strode into view. “Please, Thomas. You have to let me go.”
He held up a hand to silence her, then took her arm and led her around tall boulders that offered some privacy.
“We’ve come to a decision.”
“And what about my decision?”
He took her shoulders and gazed into her eyes, fearful that she’d abandoned her love for him. She was being noble in this insistence of hers, yes, but she was also agreeing to leave him for Woref. He couldn’t bear the thought.
“Listen to me.” He took a deep breath. “You know what will happen to you if you go back. Woref will never believe that I forced you to leave. He doesn’t have a believing bone in his body. The man lives for deceit, and he expects the same from everyone else. If he doesn’t end up killing you, he’ll do worse. You know it!”
She searched his eyes. But she wasn’t talking, and that was good.
“I have a plan. Now listen carefully—it can work; I know it can. Your father will trade me for the twenty-four and—”
“No! No, you can’t do that! This is my problem.”
“This is my problem! I can’t lose you!”
“He’ll kill you!”
“Not if you stay.”
“Then he’ll brutalize you!”
“I’m too valuable to him. It will buy us time. If you go back, it will be over. Please, I beg you. It’s the only way.”
A tear ran from her eye, and he wiped it away with his thumb. “Promise me you’ll stay, for my sake. I promise we’ll find a way.”
Chelise remained quiet, fighting her tears. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “I can’t live without you, my love. I can’t.”
“I feel lost, Thomas.”
He held her, and she cried on his shoulder. “I have found you.”
“I’m not like you. I’m a stranger here.”
She was right, but he couldn’t bring himself to point out the obvious, that unless she drowned she would always be lost. There would be time for that later.
“Then I will be a stranger with you,” he said.