by Tim Chaffey
Noah recoiled inside at the not-so-subtle threat. “What would you like to know?”
Iradel stepped around the table and motioned for Noah to follow him toward the tent’s entrance. Sweeping his arm across their field of view, he said, “I’m sure you realize we are preparing to conquer Iri Geshem. I already know the layout of the entire city and where they position their soldiers. Provide me with important details about the Havilite forces, how many and where they’re stationed, and I’ll release you, your friend, and the little girl.”
Noah thought of Kmani, Bakur, and a few more friends still within the city. “What will you do to the people once you defeat the army?”
“I have no quarrel with the citizens. If they willingly obey Nodite rule, then they can live peacefully.”
The man’s straightforward manner impressed Noah. He was not like councilmembers who sought to please everyone and were willing to say whatever they thought a person might want to hear. He was direct, and Noah hoped his response was trustworthy. He took a deep breath. “I have something, but it must be worth four lives: me, my friend, his daughter, and an elderly woman in the city.”
“You’re in no position to negotiate.” The captain crossed his arms again and glared at Noah.
Noah leaned in a little closer. “Wouldn’t you like to know how I escaped the city when all the gates were blocked and I was being chased by their soldiers?”
The man gave a half smile and lifted his chin. “You know a secret way in.”
“I do. You could sneak many of your soldiers into the city without being detected.”
“Very well. Show my men this secret entrance, and I will spare the lives of your friends.” The captain turned back toward the center of the tent and called to the two high-ranking soldiers near the planning table. “Prepare your men to march to Iri Geshem by nightfall.”
Chapter 5
Iri Dekkel — Noah’s 499th year
Emzara shifted her weight on the log at the lookout point. The uneven surface and bumpy texture helped keep her awake. Placing her hands on her lower back and arching slightly, she tried to loosen the knot just above her tailbone. The moon hung low in the sky, smothered by a blanket of clouds, so keeping watch was difficult. It was long past deepest dark, and while she scanned the area, she kept her ears on high alert, knowing that they may be the first to deliver an indication of company.
One full day had passed since Purlek had first awakened. His pain level remained high, and he had slept fitfully much of the day, but each time he awakened, he talked a little more. He feared that most of his friends from the village had been slaughtered, but Garun informed him that he had found only a few bodies while searching the town. They concluded that most of the townspeople had fled or been captured as slaves.
Emzara forced the awful thoughts from her mind and focused on the young man. Thank You, Creator, for the improvements he’s beginning to show. Pleased with how well the herbs were healing the gash on his forehead, she looked up at the night sky and smiled.
Her eyes traced the dark outline of foliage all the way down to the riverbank. From her perch, the trees dipped toward the river. Fallen branches, saplings, and other small bushes kept her mostly out of sight. To her left, the river that led to Iri Sana flowed steadily. To her immediate right stood the main cluster of trees that shielded their campsite from anyone who might be prowling on the other side of the river. She stared past the town, longing to catch a glimpse of Noah.
She tried to shake her anxious thoughts, but they reappeared again after keeping her up most of the night. What if it only took Noah two days to pack? She counted silently on her fingers. He might even arrive here tonight. She peered excitedly down river but saw nothing. Bakur and Pav would’ve helped him. Tubal-Cain would’ve, too, although he might be more of a distraction. She shook her head and softly chuckled. Sometimes, those two still behaved like little boys when they were together.
What if something happens to Noah on the way to meet us? A chill marched down her spine and she straightened up. She paced two steps in one direction and then two back. What would I do without him? This little life inside of me needs his father.
She bit her lip to keep from sobbing. Most High, I can’t do this alone. Her thoughts sped faster as she became more frantic. How would we be able to even build the ark that You—. She stopped midstride.
“The ark. Of course.” You’ve promised that Noah and I and our sons and their wives would be on board. O Creator, forgive my restlessness. How could I continuously forget Your promises?
The evening dragged on, and Emzara’s eyes grew heavy. Occasionally, she stood and stretched or paced, trying to stay awake, but eventually she fell into imagining her sweet reunion with Noah and began to drift in and out of consciousness.
The snapping of a twig jolted her and her eyes shot open. As fast as a bounder, her pulse throbbed. She listened closely and peered toward the shore. In the darkness, a figure hunched near the beached rowboat Garun had used to travel back and forth to the abandoned village, while the ship lay hidden nearby among trees that stretched out over the river. Though she kept her eyes fixed on the person, he stood still, stooped as though protecting something in his arms. Why hasn’t the intruder moved? How long was I sleeping?
Emzara placed her hand on the hilt of the small dagger strapped to her left hip. The darkness almost succeeded in hiding the scene from her view. Carefully watching the placement of her feet to avoid crackling any underbrush, she tiptoed closer for a better look. A sudden movement followed by a light splash mixed with a groan told her that he had moved the craft closer to the river. Throwing off all caution, she sprinted toward the boat thief.
The figure crawled ashore on his hands and knees and looked up at her.
“What are you doing?” She placed her hands near the middle of the boat with a firm grasp and held it steady. The water cooled her feet and ankles.
He glared up at her, and the tension mounted until slowly he lowered his shoulders. “I have to warn my parents. I have to rescue them.”
“You will do no such thing.” She kept her volume low so as not to alarm Garun and Laleel, but her words carried force behind them. Without warning, he came into full view. She looked back over her shoulder and noticed the clouds no longer blocked the moonlight.
“But if I don’t, they could die. Ma-Zara, how can you not care for their safety?” Gripping the edge of the boat, Purlek tried to stand but gave up after failing to plant his right leg. He groaned in pain and dropped back to all fours.
“What are you talking about? You’re going to set your healing back.” Emzara shook her head. “How could you even get to them in your condition?” With a heave, she pulled the boat mostly onto the shore.
“I’ll let the river take me to Iri Geshem.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“What?”
“You can barely stand upright.”
“Don’t need to. I’ll be staying in here.” He gripped the side of the boat again as if he still planned to go through with his foolhardy scheme. “And I’m only one person, so I’ll be able to sneak past the army.”
Her hand flew to her chest. “Army! What army?”
He frowned and clenched his jaw. “I told you. The Nodites. We have to warn Iri Geshem and my family.”
“I thought it was just a small raiding party.”
He looked down and shook his head.
“How do you know they’re going to Iri Geshem? We didn’t see them on the way here. And if by some miracle you did make it there, then what? Even though you can’t walk, you’ll rush about and somehow find your parents in time to warn them and protect them — all without getting killed yourself?”
He slumped to the ground. “I guess not, but I’m tired of lying around here.”
“I understand.” She moved around the front of the boat and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Look, I confess that before I saw you, my thoughts were jumbled about Noah.”
/> “Really?” He looked at her and a shock of dark wavy hair fell in front of his left eye. In an instant, she pictured the young rascal of a boy she had loved and helped raise.
“Yes, but we must trust they are in the hands of the Most High. Otherwise we’ll go mad.”
Suddenly, he flashed his impish smirk. “You know what?”
She narrowed her eyes playfully. “What?”
“You’re going to make a really good mother.”
“Am I?” Her whole body tingled and she felt as if she were floating.
“Yes. You’ve already got the mother instincts.”
“Well then. In that case, I can tell that you’re just changing the subject, Purkly.” She emphasized the nickname she had used for him when he was a young child.
He laughed. “Oh, I am?”
“Yes. And there’s only one thing to do about that.”
“Which is?”
“To send you off to bed with no snack. What do you make of that?”
“Guess I’ll have to march off in a huff.”
She chuckled. “You can’t even do that, but I can assist you back to your bed.”
As she leaned down to help him stand, Emzara’s foot slipped and she landed with a splash in the cool water.
Purlek grabbed his side and struggled to catch his breath. “It hurts to laugh, but I can’t stop.”
She scowled up at him, but his magnetic grin drew her in. She swung her arm across the surface of the river and splashed him.
Water dripped down Purlek’s face and his wet wrap hung loosely over his shoulder. “Hey, I’m injured.”
They both laughed until cracking twigs and rustling leaves grabbed their focus.
Garun burst onto the nearby shore with his sword drawn. “Is everything alright?”
Laleel appeared behind him armed with a blade of her own.
Purlek looked shamefaced. “I was going to sneak away to warn my parents about the Nodites, but she stopped me.”
Emzara smiled. “I think your injuries stopped you before I did. I—” Em tried to calm herself, but the oddity of the situation mixed with the lack of sleep hit her at just the right point, and she gave in to another burst of laughter.
Garun and Laleel approached and his stern look caused a pinch of guilt to rise within her, but she failed to control her giggles.
“We need to get the boat back into hiding.” Laleel’s voice was deeper than usual, with the fuzzy edges of being roused suddenly from sleep.
“I’ll do it.” Purlek reached for the craft but winced and stopped. “I’m sorry.”
“All is well,” Garun said. “I’ll take care of it. He pointed at Emzara. “You can help him back to the tent.”
A small smile broke on the left side of Laleel’s face. She turned and looked at the sky, which now held the promise of lightening. “There doesn’t seem to be much point in trying to get more sleep at this time. I’ll prepare some of Nuca’s brew for everyone.”
Garun rolled his eyes and shook his head. He pointed at Purlek. “If you’re up for it, you can tell us what you two troublemakers were doing out here and what you’ve been up to since you moved away from home.”
Chapter 6
Region of Iri Geshem — Noah’s 499th year
Several thousand troops paraded swiftly around the bends and rolling hills along the Hiddekel. Lunkers and other large creatures pulled the war machines under the guidance of their handlers. At times, the only sounds to be heard were the steady pounding of footsteps interrupted occasionally by grunting beasts.
As he reached the top of a small rise, Noah looked ahead to see hundreds of rows of 20 soldiers, each stretching on as far as he could see. The line snaked across a narrow bridge over the river and then veered south on the road to Iri Geshem. Noah had never seen so many people move with such efficiency.
“We’re almost there.” Noah recognized many of the landmarks from his countless trips on the river, but seldom had he passed them on foot. To his right, a tiny village that usually bustled with activity appeared to be vacant. Perhaps the people had fled to Iri Geshem to hide behind the walls. Whatever the reason for the emptiness, Noah breathed a sigh of relief that the Nodites lacked the opportunity to slaughter anyone here.
A smile crossed his face as he watched the muscles ripple on the shoulders of the pair of unfamiliar furry animals pulling the two-wheeled cart next to him. Emzara would’ve already sketched them. He glanced up at the captain, who rode in the cart, and pointed to the large hill across the river. “You should be able to see the city once you’re up there.”
“Then this is where you leave us, correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Enil.” The captain gestured to the soldier marching beside Noah. “Take your company and follow Noah to the secret entrance. If you’re able to get everyone inside the city undetected, then set Noah and the other two prisoners free. Send word back to me. We will set up camp on the other side of the river, but out of sight from the city wall.”
“And the old woman is to be spared?” Noah asked.
“I gave you my word. Enil, see to it.”
“Sir.” Enil held up a hand and made a couple of signals. Immediately a couple hundred troops moved to the left side of the road. Unlike the rest of the soldiers, these men wore their light armor discreetly under their unmarked, sand-colored robes.
“Thank you, Captain. If possible, please go easy on the citizens and spare the shipyard.” Noah rejoined Enil, spotting Elam and Rayneh between two warriors a few rows back. “This way.”
Daylight had slipped away early due to the overcast skies, which served as both a blessing and a curse. While making it more difficult to find the small shed, the darkness also kept them hidden from the sentries on the city walls. They waited along the edge of the forest to allow the darkness to grow even deeper.
The wall around the eastern part of the city loomed in the distance. Torches flickered at various lookout posts along the top of it, providing enough light to see a few soldiers standing guard. Suddenly, the distinct ring of metal being struck pierced the darkness. “What is that?” Enil asked.
Noah held up a hand to request silence. Listening closely, he heard four more clangs at regular intervals. “They do that every night to signal a shift change for the guards.”
“Let’s go,” Enil said.
“Wait.” Noah stood and pointed ahead and to the left. “It should be up there a little way, but it’ll be hard to find at night. You and I should go look and then come back for the others.”
Enil motioned for two nearby soldiers to join him. “The four of us will go — just in case you’re planning on escaping.”
Noah shrugged. “You have my friend and his daughter, so I’m not going anywhere. We’ll need to stay quiet. The city is surely worried about reports of your army, so they may have extra sentries posted.”
“Right,” Enil said. “What are we looking for?”
Noah faced the three Nodites. “The tunnel entrance is in a shed on the south edge of a small clearing about 200 cubits from the wall. Let’s go.”
Staying low, he quickly moved out of the woods and led the trio of soldiers across a glade. As he slowed behind a copse of trees, a low-hanging twig scratched his face. He carefully grabbed the small branch and allowed it to move back into place. “It should be just over there.”
“I see something,” one of the soldiers said. “Right there.”
Noah stared into the darkness in the direction the man pointed. Eventually, the faint outline of a building came into focus. “That’s it. Let’s make sure it’s empty.”
“But don’t make a sound,” Enil said as he moved ahead of Noah.
The four men soon covered the distance to the shed and quietly opened the door. Slipping inside, they found themselves in complete blackness.
“I can’t see a thing,” Enil said. “Is it safe to light a lamp here?”
“There aren’t any windows so it should be,” Noah said. “J
ust keep it low.”
A spark flashed to Noah’s left along with the muffled clack of two stones striking each other. This was followed by a second and then a third strike before a soft glow emanated from a tiny oil lamp. Noah had started fires using two types of stone before, but the Nodites must have invented a device that made the process more efficient. The man put the fist-sized flame starter into his pocket. Holding the lantern up, he moved toward the back of the room. “I don’t see any entrance.” He spun and glared at Noah. “You lied to us.”
Noah held up a hand. “No, it’s there.” He pointed to the left corner. “It’s behind that wall.”
The man with the lamp inspected the corner and soon disappeared through the small opening and the soft glow faded until almost vanishing entirely. He soon reentered the room. “Looks like our prisoner was telling the truth after all. There’s a tunnel beneath the floor in there.”
Enil turned to the other soldier. “Get the rest of the men, and make sure they are quiet.”
The man nodded and stole outside.
“So am I free to go?” Noah asked.
Enil snorted. “Not yet. We need to get everyone safely through the tunnel first. Let’s have a look at it.”
Noah followed his captors into the hidden room and looked at the hatch on the floor. Could it have only been two days since I was here? Feels like a whole moon. “This leads into the lower level of a home built against the inside of the city wall. The woman who owns it is the one you need to spare.”
“Then you can go through with me to tell her.”
Noah nodded. “It’ll be difficult to open the door at the end. It may take a few men to push it open since she keeps a large, heavy bin on the other side to hide the entrance.”
“I’m sure we’ll manage. And once we’re inside?”
“That’s up to you. You’ll need to cross the bridge if you have any hope of opening the main gate for your army.”
“Of course.” Enil measured Noah with his eyes. “So how does it feel to betray your own people?”