Page 22 of The Guardian's Promise

“My thanks.” He turned toward Nathan and Tama. “What of Mira? Is she well?”

Tama’s mouth slackened.

Nathan’s eyes narrowed before he hung his head in shame. “I did not realize—that is, she has not been seen since the attack.” He lifted his eyes. “I’m sorry, Caleb.”

Caleb fell to his knees, ripping his tunic at the neck. A cry of anguish on his lips. If Ari had not been so cold, if he had not been as stiff as the stone walls, he, too, would have fallen to his knees.

“I should have been here,” Nathan cried in distress.

Ari did not wish to know where Nathan had been when the soldiers went on their rampage. As much as he wished to fault the man, Ari should have been the one to protect Caleb’s family. Especially since he knew the danger. The blame did not lie with Nathan, but with him. Directly at his feet. His iniquities were catching up with his sandals.

Ari laid his hand upon Caleb’s head and his other on Nathan’s shoulder. “It is no one’s fault but my own and on my honor I will find your daughter and bring her back,” he assured them. He would locate Mira and return with her unscathed or die trying. “I vow it before God.”

Chapter Ten

Light filtered through the curtain of water, waking Sh’mira from a fitful sleep. Nightmares of armed men chasing her through crowded streets continued to haunt her, even after she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She stretched and realized the small body that should be next to hers was missing. She sat up, curled her legs beneath her and massaged the soreness from her fingers. “Joash,” she whispered.

Only the sound of the rushing water and the echo of her own breathing met her ears. “Joash.”

Nothing.

How long had she slept? She had only intended to close her eyes a short while. She had not planned on sleeping, especially since she did not know if the soldier watched them.

She slipped her sandals onto her feet and rose from the makeshift bed. A quick look told her Joash was no longer in the cave. Panic seized her. Where could he have gone? Wrapping a tunic around her shoulders, she stepped to the edge of the cave and followed the path of rocks leading to the small pool of water this side of the falls.

She let out a sigh of relief when she spied the child wading in the water. Caution warned her against calling out his name lest she startle him causing him to cry out. It would not do for the soldiers to hear him if they remained camped beside the pool.

She climbed down the stones and sat at the edge and waited for him to acknowledge her presence.

“I must prepare for my journey,” he said in a tone that spoke of authority.

She had no idea what he meant by his journey, but she would not question him now. “I was only concerned.”

“Of course, Mira. I did not mean to cause you worry.”

She wrapped her arms around her knees and watched the wall of water stream into the pool. As beautiful as this place was she wanted to go home. She fought the tears threatening to burst forth. Had her mother and sister been unharmed? What of her father?

And what of Ari? If he knew of this place why had he not come for them yet? Had something happened to him, as well?

She swiped her fingers across the corner of her eye. “Do you think they are still out there, waiting for us?”

Thank the Lord the man who’d found them chose to keep their whereabouts hidden.

“I do,” he responded.

For some reason Joash understood their precarious situation more than she did. She’d been afraid to ask questions of him. At first, because she did not want to worry him further. But then, after searching the confines of Ari’s secret cave she feared the truth. If it was as she suspected, Ari not only lied to her family, but he brought trouble to her father’s doorstep. And now, with worry heavy on her heart, she needed to know what they were fighting.

“I wonder, what are they after?” she asked.

Joash shrugged in a way that told her he knew.

She slid her hand down her leg and played with the ties on her sandal. “What do they want?”

“I am bound by an oath.” He turned to her, his dark eyes filled with apologies. “Soon your questions will be answered.”

The child had barely seen seven summers, yet he held a bearing fit for a king. Mira blinked. Her thoughts caught in her throat. The conversation with Ari fought to the forefront. Could it be? Could this young child somehow be related to the royal family? Is that why Athaliah’s guard had attacked their little village?

“Impossible,” she spoke to herself as she rose from her perch and brushed her hands over her tunic. It was more likely he belonged to the priests given some of the items in the cave, but then what did that make Ari? “Come, the day grows late. We must decide what we will do.”

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