by Katie Clark
She managed a smile as the warmth of his body calmed her. “Did you really jump through my window?”
“Saul’s guards wouldn’t let me back into the house. I had to find another way in.”
“But you found Abdul?”
“That’s right.” He glanced behind them then back to her. “He said we were in Sumer.”
“That’s what Seth told me,” she said.
“I’m not sure we can trust him if he’s Saul’s friend.”
He didn’t like her decision. Oh, well. “We didn’t have another choice, but I talked to him a lot at supper. I think we can trust him. What else did Abdul say?”
“That the people are building a tower to honor the gods. That’s why they believe you’re Hebat, and you’ve come to honor them.”
This was everything she had learned already. None of it helped them find a way home.
The sounds of stampeding seemed to fade, but Philip didn’t move. The silence pressed all around them. He stared down at her, making her want to squirm, but she didn’t dare to move.
“Skye, I—” he paused.
What? her mind screamed. Would he say he was sorry for abandoning her in freshman year? That he wanted her friendship back in his life? That she was totally worth it, regardless of what his friends back home thought?
“I just wanted to tell you—”
But before he could finish, the sound of footsteps rang through the alley. “It is safe!” Seth hissed.
Philip pulled away. Skye’s heart thundered, but her head screamed. What had he wanted to say?
“They are distracted,” Seth said, breathless. “At least for now. However, they will not give up. We must go.”
Philip took her hand again, and this time she held on tight. She still wanted to hear what he’d been on the verge of saying, and she had to let him know the door to saying it was still open.
She took Leah’s hand with her free hand, and Seth led them to the end of the alley, then through another and another, until they reached the edges of the marketplace. “Where is your meeting place?” he asked. He glanced around the corner, always watching.
Skye looked to Philip for help. She’d much rather answer Seth herself, but she couldn’t deny that she didn’t know anything outside of Saul’s villa.
“This way,” Philip said. He led them through the mostly empty streets, and stopped in front of a row of tents. The flaps were closed, but he pulled her close to him. “This is the place,” he said to Seth. “Thank you for your help.”
Seth frowned and glanced to her. “Mistress? Your spiritual gathering is in a laborer’s tent?”
Again, she looked to Philip. What was he doing? “It is the meeting place,” she finally said.
Seth didn’t seem pacified. He looked nervously between the two of them then threw a look at Leah, shaking his head. “Does Saul know you have gone, Leah? Why didn’t you ask him to send an escort? This hardly seems safe to me.”
Leah cowered behind Skye, and Philip stepped forward. He puffed out his chest. “You dare question the goddess of the skies?”
Seth’s eyes widened, and he stepped back. “No, of course not.” He bowed. “Forgive me, Mistress.”
“Seth, there is nothing to forgive.” She touched his shoulder, and he rose from his bow. “Please, tell no one you saw me. I will repay your kindness. You said you will be at the entire festival, did you not?”
His worried look faded a little, but his eyes weren’t completely clear. He nodded.
“Then I will see you tomorrow.”
He glanced again between her and Philip and then bowed slightly one last time. “On the morrow, Mistress. May the gods be pleased.” He hurried away, leaving Philip and Skye alone with Leah.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” she hissed to Philip. What would Seth do once he returned to Saul? They might be captured within the hour. They had to meet up with Ezekiel, fast.
Philip scowled. “Of course I know. Do you think I picked this place at random?” He tugged on her hand, and she followed him toward the tent.
“This is where we came through time. Don’t you recognize it?” he asked.
She glanced around, but it looked exactly like any dark street in ancient Sumer, and nothing like a bright, sunny day in the desert.
“This is where I came this afternoon. Abdul was here. It is his family’s tent.”
He stepped inside and held up the flap, and she didn’t have any choice but to follow him.
They’d made it to the marketplace, but apparently Ezekiel hadn’t.
Philip moved to the backside of the tent and lifted another flap, glancing up and down the alleys. The tension in the air was thick. Would Ezekiel make it to them? Should they try getting home before Ezekiel showed up? And if they managed to return to London, what would happen to Leah?
Skye glanced at her new friend, but the girl kept her eyes cast to the hard-packed, dirt floor.
Skye looked back to Philip. “Do we try the gatekeeper words again?”
Philip continued watching the alley. With his back to her, he shrugged. “It’s worth a try. This is where it happened.”
She nodded but stopped when she realized he couldn’t see her. “Should we, like, hold hands or something?” Stupid question. They hadn’t been holding hands to begin with, but they’d been connected by the stone. Hadn’t they? Everything was starting to feel fuzzy. Too much action in too short a time period.
He turned and reached out to her. Swallowing her nerves, she took his hand. It was warm and enveloped her own hand.
Skye licked her lips and looked at Leah. The girl crouched in the corner, now watching with wide, scared eyes. What would happen to Leah if she and Philip were successful? Ezekiel wouldn’t find her hiding here, and she might get into trouble for running away if she returned to Saul.
With dread, Skye realized she couldn’t worry about that. She didn’t belong here, and she had to focus on getting home.
She turned back to Philip. Together, they spoke the strange words they’d learned four thousand years in the future.
“Ultu ulla ati me peta babka.”
She pressed her eyes closed, hoping for the spinning dizziness to hit her.
Nothing happened.
Philip huffed and turned away, pulling his hands with him. He went to the tent flap and looked back into the alley.
“You know that guy’ll blabber to Saul as soon as he gets back.” Philip’s tone was harsh. He was still upset about that. It was probably just his frustration talking.
“What else was I supposed to do? He got us through town, at least. By the time Saul comes looking we should be out of here.”
Philip let the tent flap fall back into place, shrouding them in darkness. Silence wrapped around her, and she shivered.
“I hope you’re right,” he said.
17
Time passed slowly. Way too slowly. No one spoke, and Skye’s stomach rolled. If the gatekeeper phrase hadn’t worked here, where they’d come through time, would it work anywhere?
She couldn’t take being still anymore, so she started pacing in the dark. Leah huddled in a corner, arms wrapped around her legs, and Philip sat near the back flap of the tent, leaning against a tent pole.
Tension was thick, and Skye’s mind raced. How would they find Ezekiel if they were holed up in this tent? At least Seth had obviously not ratted them out, because if he had then Saul would be storming the tent.
Finally, she couldn’t take the silence anymore. “What did you expect me to do with Seth?”
Philip didn’t answer.
“He would have gone directly to Saul.”
“Who was he?” Philip asked, his tone clipped. Frustrated. Was he irritated that they didn’t have a plan? Philip always had a plan.
It was time for him to get over that. “What?” she demanded. “I’m not allowed to talk to anyone?”
He moved to his feet in one swift motion and stood directly in front of her. “That’s not wha
t I mean. It would be nice to be kept in the loop, though, instead of getting thrown for one when some random guy steps in and joins the party.”
“Like I was thrown for a loop when I walked into the room and found out that you and Ezekiel had made an entire plan for getting out?”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“Yeah, and so did my letting Seth help!”
He huffed and backed away. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Why was this so important? They knew Seth hadn’t told on them yet. What was the problem? “He said that his father and Saul are allies. He happened to be sitting next to me, and we had a nice conversation. He told me about Sumer.”
Philip didn’t say anything, but he seemed to accept her answer, and she went back to pacing. After a few minutes, she asked, “What do you think is happening at home?” She’d been wondering about that for a while.
He turned toward her, his face illuminated by the dull light coming in from the open tent flap. “I don’t know,” he whispered.
“Do you miss your dad?”
He was quiet for a full minute. Maybe he wouldn’t answer. Was it too painful? But then he sighed. “No. I’m used to his being gone. He doesn’t take me on his trips like your mom does.”
She thought about his words before answering. “I hate going on her trips.”
He watched her another second and then stood from his place on the ground. “We should probably sneak out soon. No one has come looking for us, and we need to find Ezekiel so he can take us to his home outside the city.”
Skye had been thinking of Ezekiel, too. She swallowed her nerves and tried her best at a normal, non-confrontational conversation. “What if he didn’t get out as easily as he expected?”
Philip’s gaze met hers from across the dark tent. He shrugged, his face weary. “I don’t know.”
Skye’s bones ached. She wanted to curl up into a ball and fall asleep, but someone would definitely find them come morning. Philip had said this was Abdul’s tent. That boy couldn’t keep his mouth shut, so she didn’t want to stick around for him to find her. But where would they go? Now that they’d tried the one sure shot at getting home—and failed—she was out of ideas. The thought of being stuck here forever sent shivers down her back.
“OK,” she said. “Lead the way.”
He cocked an eyebrow but didn’t jump into another argument. He peeked out the front flap and then the back. “The coast is clear. Let’s go out the back way.”
He stepped into the light of the moon, and she and Leah followed. Skye’s eyes adjusted quickly, and the light helped take away some of her fatigue. The silence of the night cast an eerie calm over her, and she stayed as close to Philip’s back as she could manage without actually bumping into him.
They approached the end of the small alley, and Philip slowed. He stuck out a hand to let them know he was stopping. Then he peered around the corner. “It’s clear,” he whispered.
She expected him to move, but he hesitated. Without looking at her, he slowly held out a hand to her.
She let out a relieved breath that she hoped he didn’t hear and took his hand. He wasn’t mad anymore. They could move on.
Philip closed his fingers around hers and they were off into the night. Darting between doorframes, they made their way in a circle around the marketplace. As they came to each alley that led into a different part of the city, they checked new roads for any sign of Ezekiel.
Skye’s stomach tightened as they neared the far end of the marketplace—the road leading back to Saul’s house. From the alley, the noise of the party still roared. How late did these people stay out? It was like a giant Super Bowl celebration.
And where was Ezekiel?
They turned to leave the alley when a sound from the other end pinned them in place.
Her gaze flew to Philip’s. “Someone’s out there,” she hissed.
She and Leah backed against a wall, and Philip leaned close. “Stay hidden as best you can,” he whispered. “I’ll check it out.”
She didn’t want to stay in the alley without him, but he could go undetected better than she—Hebat—could. Most of the people in the city had seen her from Saul’s balcony.
He glanced around one last time then dashed away. Seconds passed slowly as he crept down the alleyway. At the end, he peered around and then moved out of sight.
What was he doing? She needed to be able to see him. Didn’t he know she was terrified? She gave Leah a nervous smile, but the girl quickly looked away. Skye took a deep breath. She could be strong for Leah’s sake. She took her hand and squeezed. “It’ll be OK. You’ll see your mother soon.”
Leah glanced back at her. Her eyes were still anxious, but she nodded slightly.
A moment later, Philip came back into view at a dead run.
Fear burst through Skye, and she positioned herself to bolt. But as he approached, she could see more of his face in the dim light and noticed his smile.
“It’s Ezekiel,” he whispered. “He has a cart. Hurry.”
She followed after him this time, and came out the other end of the alley where Ezekiel met them with a large wagon. A canvas covered the cart, and Ezekiel held it up. “You will have to hide here. Dawn comes soon, and then I will be on my way home to deliver the wares I purchased while in the city.”
Skye threw a look at Philip, but he was already making room for them. Again, she wondered if they were trading one liar for another, but what other choice did she have? And Leah trusted him, so shouldn’t she? Without another moment’s hesitation, she and Leah climbed in and scooted to the back, behind a large barrel. Philip climbed in behind them. Then Ezekiel secured the canvas so it covered their tracks.
Dim light filtered in through the fibers of the canvas, and she looked at Philip. “Are you sure about this?”
He shrugged and shook his head. She got it—he wasn’t any surer than she was.
They began the ride, and the jostling was painful. Skye’s head began to loll, and she glanced at Philip. He sat rigidly, his posture vigilant.
Her heart softened, and she took his hand. How long since he’d slept? It’d been a long, crazy day. He seemed surprised when she clasped his hand, but he smiled slightly and went back to sitting like a statue.
She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. At least one of them ought to get some rest. If they were successful, they’d be at Ezekiel’s soon. Then, they’d get some answers, and hopefully, find a way home.
The cart rumbled on for several minutes before coming to a stop. Ezekiel’s quiet instructions came to them through the canvas. “We must wait a short time until dawn, for my travelling would draw suspicion otherwise. I will be in the driver’s seat until that time. You shall be safe.”
Skye looked to Philip. Ezekiel’s words had only relaxed him slightly, and pity filled her. She’d had a short nap at Saul’s villa. Philip hadn’t slept at all. She nudged him with her shoulder. “Go to sleep. You won’t do us any good if you’re dead on your feet.”
He looked at her, stubbornly keeping his eyes open.
“Philip, I mean it. Ezekiel’s here. Please, rest for just a while.” She squeezed his hand.
He sighed and laid his head back. “Fine, but only until we start rolling again.”
“Of course,” she said.
After a few minutes, his soft breathing filled the space between them.
The cart was dark. She was defenseless. She glanced at Leah, who had also fallen asleep.
At least, if caught, Skye could claim her goddess status and find a way out of it. But what about Leah, Ezekiel, and Philip?
She groaned and leaned her head back. This entire situation was insane. She had rival city leaders vying to keep her captive.
God, what’s happening to us?
The simple plea was enough to help her remember that maybe she didn’t have to figure this out. God knew what was going on. That would be enough, for now.
Please help us get home. I really wa
nt to get back to Mom.
Mom needed her, needed her moral support. Even if Mom didn’t always show her appreciation, it was just who she was. Skye loved her, and she wanted to be there. Besides, if Skye and Philip could fix their relationship, maybe she and Mom could, too.
She glanced at Philip, and her heart squeezed. Back home, would she and Philip keep up this sort-of friendship they’d rekindled? Or would she go back to being invisible, and would he go back to being the center of the universe?
For a split second, she wondered if going home was her best option. Had Mom even noticed she was gone?
A sharp stab of pain hit her in the heart, and she shoved the thoughts away. For now, it didn’t matter about life back home. She needed to get to Ezekiel’s and find out what was happening. What needed to be done to make it back home.
Ezekiel had implied he had answers. Going with him didn’t sound as threatening when she thought of it in those terms.
Time passed slowly, and fatigue wrapped around her. At last, the cart jostled. She noticed dim light filtering through the canvas. Dawn had broken.
Ezekiel’s soft voice met her ears again. “We are on our way,” he whispered.
Skye shook off her tired feelings and nudged Philip. “Hey, we’re moving,” she whispered close to his ear. It was best no one heard voices from inside the cart.
Philip stirred, and looked around. “It’s dawn?”
“Yeah, Ezekiel said it’s time to go.”
He sat up and groaned softly. His gaze finally met hers, and his sleepy eyes softened. “Thanks. I think I needed that nap.”
She managed a smile, but his gratitude turned her insides to mush.
Confusion and yet excitement swirled through her. Philip had left their friendship in the dust once, but that didn’t mean their friendship had no hope. Maybe he was still her friend, and always had been even if they’d both forgotten it for a while. She hadn’t exactly made it easy on him.
For the first couple months after Dad left, she’d tried reaching out to Philip, and he’d blown her off. After that she’d given up, but he’d tried talking to her a few different times in the last couple years. She’d always given him the cold shoulder—kind of like she did to Mom when Mom offered to do things with Skye. But it was mostly in self-defense. She would control how much she allowed people to hurt her.