I watched him disappear around a corner and then told Tijah, “I must go see the king for a few minutes before retiring. Don’t leave this suite. If you need me, send a summons with one of the palace messengers.”
I hurried down the hall, stopping a guard to send a message to my father to bring Sahmril to Kadesh’s suite. After the chaos and destruction of the night, I wanted to see them with my own eyes once more and hold them in my arms.
Would the rest of the palace household think me brazen to appear so late in the evening at the king’s private rooms without an official summons? Casting aside my insecurity, I crossed the foyer just as one of Kadesh’s bodyguards appeared. “My lady, King Kadesh asks for your company, if you’re up to it.”
It seemed that he and I had the same thoughts.
When I was ushered inside, Kadesh rushed over to me. “Jayden! I’ve been pacing a hole in the rugs ever since I sent the Edomites after you.”
I sagged against one of the columns in the vestibule and then sank against his chest while he held me close. “Your eyes are red from the smoke. You’re pale, too. Shaking.”
I tried not to give in to the terrible night, but the comfort of his arms was just what I needed. “I’m only worried for the citizens,” I said. “For your soldiers and their families, and worried for you.”
Kadesh said, “I heard what happened tonight. You volunteered to take Sahmril’s place as sacrifice.” Revulsion laced his voice and I took a step backward to stare at him. He was holding back an explosion of frustration—at Aliyah—and at me. “Don’t ever do that again.”
The anger in his voice was palpable, tangible in a way that hurt. “You’ve never spoken to me like that before.”
“I never came so close to losing you.” His arms tightened when he lifted me up off the floor, his face buried into my neck, breath shuddering.
“When I think back to how easily Aliyah sucked my mother into her web of influence . . . I think Aliyah has been plotting to overthrow Sariba’s royal family for years. How swiftly she allied herself with Horeb, a complete stranger bent on invading Sariba to put themselves on the throne.”
“I honestly believe that when she gets rid of me she will assassinate Horeb, take over his armies and then find a way to kill you in your sleep one night. Now that the Queen of Sheba is gone, she can rightfully rule there, too.”
Kadesh’s face twisted with grief. “My cousin’s death is the worst blow today—and that on top of losing so many men on the battlefield. I’m in shock that she’s gone. That Aliyah actually killed her own sister. How will I ever convey this news to her husband?”
“There will be time to compose letters,” I said gently. “Or to visit Sa’ba yourself. Right now, the most important task is to win this war. I’m going to fight by your side. I’m going to wield a sword, along with Asher and the Edomites and the Sariba army to defeat Horeb once and for all.”
Kadesh was vehemently against it. “If I lost you, I’d lose my will to win. That’s why you have to stay alive.”
“King Ephrem told me in no uncertain terms that I was the one to kill Horeb. Once that is done, his armies will fracture along with their will to fight. When Horeb is gone no one can question who the true ruler of Sariba is once and for all.”
His mouth lifted. “I’m beginning to realize that you are your own secret weapon.”
I leaned forward to give him a kiss. “You are a wise ruler, King Kadesh.”
When his body servant entered from the rear bedroom, Kadesh said, “That’s my cue. Stay another few moments. Help me try on my uniform. It’s Uncle Ephrem’s, but it might need adjustments.”
“I’ve asked my father to come before he retires for the night. He should be here shortly.”
“I’d like to see him myself,” Kadesh agreed with a nod.
We’d no sooner said the words than Pharez came into view, Sahmril in his arms. Seeing the two of them together brought back all the memories of when she was an infant and my father would rock her on those terrible nights we crossed the desert and she was hungry or distressed.
I ran and threw my arms around them both. My father’s beard tickled my cheek when I pressed my face into his neck. He was warmth and comfort and home, all at once.
“You saved her,” Pharez said hoarsely. “My girl, my Jayden.”
“Oh, Father, we’re so very lucky. When Kadesh and I found her in Mari I never thought we’d see her again.”
Sahmril wriggled in my father’s arms, her eyes half-closed, sleepy. “Mama,” she murmured against Pharez’s tunic, ready to slip into dreamland.
“I know it’s time to put her to bed,” I said. “But I had to see you. I wanted to say goodnight.” I lifted Sahmril from his arms and cradled her against me. “She’s really here and safe—with us.”
“And she needs a mother’s touch,” my father added, gazing at me. “You’re all she has now.”
I didn’t mention the fact that Sahmril’s adoptive parents were somewhere in the city, too. The Queen of Sheba had told me that herself, but there was time to deal with them later. “For now, I will count my blessings to have us all here together.”
We didn’t mention Leila. The ache of her decision to remain apart from our family hurt, but at the moment she was at least physically safe at the temple, even if she had chosen to abandon us.
Kadesh took Pharez’s hand in his and gripped it. “I’m grateful to see all of you back safely at the palace. I was ready to tear the walls down after I sent Asher and his men off. General Naham had to hold me back from following them, convincing me that putting the king at risk was not a good idea.”
“Your Edomite warriors dispatched the temple guards and priests with ease,” my father said evenly. “I never thought I’d say it, but they have my honor and respect forever. I pray for Chemish’s full health and strength back soon.”
Kadesh nodded, a real smile finally crossing his lips. “The physicians brought the news earlier this evening. He should make a full recovery. It’s all the doctors can do to keep him down while he finishes healing.”
“He wants to be with you and his son, Asher, for the battle tomorrow morning,” Pharez observed.
“Having him get hurt again will do no one any good.”
Pharez nodded, and we stepped back while Kadesh’s servant came forward again from the shadows of the corner.
He was holding a great coat emblazoned with Sariba’s symbol and magenta colors. Kadesh was already wearing matching pressed trousers and shirt. Royal insignia had been sewn on the shoulders and lapels. The servant hefted the uniform coat onto his shoulders, and Kadesh slipped his arms through the sleeves.
Next, the servant held out a deep red sash across his extended arms. He bowed his head to me, indicating that I should take it and adorn the king.
Wrapping my arms around Kadesh’s waist, I placed the wide sash around his hips and tied it. Carefully I placed the knot, the sheen of satin shining in the lamplight.
“My sword will go here at this side, my dagger at the other.” He paused, giving me a discerning look. “I don’t want you on the battlefield, Jayden. Horeb’s soldiers are twice your size and weight. One sword stroke and your head would be taken off.”
“Then I will have to be quick and keep them dancing. Like Asher taught me.” I studied the man I loved, elegant and commanding in the kingly uniform. “Do you intend to wear body armor? One sly sword stroke and your heart will be torn asunder.”
“That will go under the uniform,” the servant said quietly. “When I dress the king in the morning.”
Kadesh lifted his chin. “We plan to meet at the barracks before dawn. Tomorrow is the day.”
Tomorrow. I suddenly hated that word.
The servant undid the sash and coat. “I will take these to my wife for sewing,” he said. “The sleeves need a bit of lengthening, and the coat taken in a touch. You’re taller than King Ephrem, and more slender. It will be ready in a few hours when I awaken you.” The servant bustled
out the door with barely a whisper of sound.
Chills ran up my neck, knowing exactly what the servant meant. We were only hours away from the first battle. Dread snaked through my belly. I glanced up to see the weary lines etched on my father’s face. “Sahmril is asleep,” I said, transferring her warm body to Pharez’s arms. “Do you want me to take her with me to my suite?”
My father shook his head. “Not tonight. I want her bed next to mine so I can know for myself that she’s safe.”
“I’ll instruct my maids to bathe and dress her in the morning while I see the army off from the city gates. Tijah and Jasmine can play with her and help give her meals. Now go to bed before you fall over yourself,” I teased him.
My father grunted. I kissed Sahmril’s flushed cheeks and stood at the door to watch the two of them slip down the corridor.
Kadesh’s hands slipped up my arms to bring me close, sending shivers along my skin. “You can’t leave before I get a goodnight kiss. We may not be in our marriage tent this week as we thought—” His voice grew husky, his eyes never leaving mine. “But I thank God you are safe and we’re here now, together.”
He bent down to bring his lips to mine, and my eyes burned with unshed tears at his gentleness. I closed my eyes, dreaming of the first time he kissed me at the hearth fire of my father’s tent. The scent of wood smoke circling the stars. His rich exotic cloak enveloping me, melding me to him as though we had become one person, one heart.
But every time Kadesh touched me or kissed me these last few days, I hoped it wouldn’t be the last.
“You’re driving me insane,” I finally murmured. “Tell me the army is ready. Tell me we will win. Tell me this will be over soon.”
Sinking into a couch, Kadesh rubbed at his face. His hair was a tangle, and his face sagged. “It was a long, hard day of practice and preparation, but we’re ready.”
I knelt at his feet and laid my head in his lap. My stomach was ill from the events of the night and the queen’s death. “I can’t stand the thought of never seeing the queen again. To hear her voice and her wisdom. To emulate her as what a queen should be.”
Kadesh pulled me up next to him and a wave of fresh grief came over me. “She was my true friend and confidante. I dread having to write her husband with the news. She should never have come here.”
“I wish Aliyah had stayed in Babylon forever.” The words were a childlike wish, but I spoke them fervently. “I should go to the queen’s suite tomorrow and pack her things so nothing gets lost. After helping Naomi go through King Ephrem’s personal effects yesterday, tonight is a nightmare I wish I could wake up from. I was so afraid of the queen when I met her in Sheba, but now I miss her dreadfully.”
“Already you’re taking on the duties of my queen, Jayden.”
My heart rose into my throat. “Are we in any danger of another midnight attack?”
Kadesh shook his head. “We have a system of alerts set up. Sariba’s army will sleep tonight with their boots on and one eye open.”
I reached up to trace the scars surrounding his mangled eye. “You know I worry about you.”
Kadesh took my hands in his. “I can see that you won’t allow me any sleep until I tell you the truth.”
“You know me well,” I said, dreading what he would say next.
“We’re vastly outnumbered. Horeb’s army is more than fifteen hundred strong. Even with the Edomites and Basim’s marauders, we only have a little over a thousand soldiers. We do have the advantage of protecting our home. Conquerors are never as motivated.”
“Don’t underestimate Horeb. He believes this land and its future queen already belongs to him.”
Kadesh’s dark eyes stared into mine, and I tried to read his thoughts, but tonight they were elusive. The thoughts of a king who would soon watch his comrades die in battle.
When I stood to go, Kadesh pushed himself up from the couch and gathered me in his arms. “This will be over soon, I promise.”
“I fear Horeb won’t give up until he is the last man standing.”
“He’ll be dead before then. And once he is, I will rally his troops in loyalty to me.”
I put my hand to his face, memorizing his features and the touch of his skin against mine. “Spoken like a true king.” I paused to kiss him one last time. “I’ll see you from the wall of the gates in a few hours.”
25
Wearing a bright red dress and a veil of white, I stood on the parapets that surrounded the palace while dawn crashed along the rim of the eastern desert. I hoped Kadesh could see my figure and know that I would be with him in every thought and deed during this first day of battle.
My palms clutched the stone edge while I watched Kadesh and General Naham finish their preparations in the staging area. Young men, barely a hint of facial hair, practiced their sword techniques while more than a dozen stable boys groomed and saddled horses.
Others filled water bags, ran errands, and sharpened daggers and swords for the lieutenants and soldiers. The commotion was loud, the air dusty. A mood of tension traced with a surge of odd excitement energized the compound.
The sun launched over the eastern horizon. Faint rays warmed my face, giving hope. No fog slipped down the mountains. It would be hot later.
It wasn’t long before the mountain soldiers of Basim arrived. Despite the men’s ragged beards and unkempt hair, their horses’ coats gleamed with obvious care. Reins jangled the air, and the animals’ powerful legs lifted in a distinctive gait.
The Sariba soldiers gave them wide berth, and even from here, I could see the exchange of glares and angry words. After all, these hired men had killed a few of their comrades, but even Basim had lost several of his own militia on the night of my wedding.
I watched Kadesh maneuver his horse to Basim. The two men spoke for a few moments and then Basim bowed his head in respect. When he lifted his face, the mercenary leader’s eyes caught hold of mine standing at the tower gate wall. He stared at me from the saddle of his horse, and then briefly bowed his head in acknowledgment.
I held myself taller, in a stance befitting a queen, when I nodded in return. Trusting—hoping—that Basim would uphold his end of the agreement. The men under Basim were strong fighters and ruthless. Not easily overtaken. Knowing they were fighting for Sariba gave me a little more faith and lifted me from my despair.
My chin turned, seeking out Kadesh. He was a striking figure in King Ephrem’s uniform. Back erect, he stood taller than most of his army. His regal bearing diminished the loss of his eye and the scars he bore, but he still suffered a deficit in his peripheral vision. I wanted to slip into the pocket closest to his heart and be his eyes and ears. His rearward protection.
“Come back to me,” I whispered. If the king went down, we were all doomed. Nobody could take his place, not Uncle Josiah or General Naham. Horeb would quickly storm the city and declare himself the new king with Aliyah as queen.
A male voice interrupted my reverie. “Lady Jayden,” Asher said, glancing down at Kadesh and then looking at me meaningfully. “I remember the night on the desert with Laban, when the traitor took a swipe at Kadesh’s blind side. I plan to stay at his side.”
“But without your father as general, you need to lead your Edomites into battle.”
“My father is sitting up and vows to be on the battlefield with us by tomorrow.”
I gave him a small smile. “With bandages and patches?”
“Even with bandages and patches. The bleeding has stopped, and he’s eating well. Eager to kill a few Maachathites and Assyrians.”
“I want you to kill a few Nephish, too, even though I’ve known many of the younger soldiers since my childhood. I can’t think of their families back home without terrible remorse.”
“No guilt, Jayden. No regrets,” Asher said gently. “The Nephish banished you. Destroyed your family, your reputation, and framed you for the murder of your king.”
I nodded, trying not to dwell on those terrible days. “I
’m more worried about you and your soldiers’ safety. The safety of Sariba’s citizens. Families have been escaping, trying to find refuge in the Qara caves, and Horeb’s spies kill them. Their blood is on my hands. How can Sariba ever honor me as their queen?”
Asher gripped my shoulders, turning me to face him. Morning light slanted across his dark eyes and the lock of hair that perpetually fell across his forehead. “Everyone’s death in this war is Horeb’s fault. Never forget that. Never.”
I bit at my lips, knowing he was right, but it was difficult to put aside the guilt.
“Sariba will be victorious. Trust us. Pray for that.”
I placed a hand on top of his, grateful for his friendship and protection. “Go with God’s blessings and victory, Prince Asher.”
He inhaled, trembling at my touch. “Thank you, my queen. With your blessings, I can fight fifty men and return to the palace tonight unscathed.”
Asher bowed and then he was gone, while the weight of a thousand stones seemed to press upon me. I tried to take comfort from my last few moments that morning with Kadesh. Our kisses and Kadesh’s refusal to speak any words of good-bye.
Thoughts like these would only get me weeping again, and I needed all my wits today—before the sun rose higher.
Aunt Naomi had requested my presence today, but I was putting her off for a few hours. I’d seen Uncle Josiah on a black gelding, ready to lead a platoon of archers with bows strapped to their backs.
All at once, an idea gripped me and I raced down the stairs after Asher back to the stables. When I arrived, I ordered, “Get me a fresh horse, please.”
The stable boys stared at me as if I’d gone mad, but when I strode toward one of the horse stalls, they quickly went into action. When I swung onto a mount, I rode toward the northeastern desert beyond the temple. The army would be leaving within moments, and I intended to ride out with Kadesh as his queen.
General Naham frowned at me, visibly angry when he saw me appear. “This is no place for a woman,” he said sharply. “This first battle is going to be vicious on my soldiers. They aren’t used to fighting, despite their training. Watching their friends die will be brutal.”
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