Chapter 7

The sea breeze ruffled Noah’s hair as he watched the vessel from Havil drift out of view on the right side of the bay. Hidden for much of the morning by gray clouds releasing a steady drizzle, the sun peeked through a clear patch in the sky, hinting that the afternoon might grow warmer. Sea birds squawked and screeched as they glided over the coast, dipping and rising in their chaotic flight patterns.

Noah folded his arms as his eyes traced the movements of one of the larger birds. “I’m glad that’s over.”

“I am too.” Emzara smiled. “I’m surprised they left so soon. I thought he’d at least stay until Tubal-Cain and Adira returned.”

“I thought so too. Perhaps Lamech was more annoyed about the council’s decision than he let on.”

Emzara pushed a stray lock over her ear, and the wind immediately whipped it free again. “Well, I’m happy they aren’t here anymore.”

They stood there in silence for a moment while Noah studied her face, a half smile creeping over his lips as his mind wandered back to the day nine years ago when they had stood in this very place and he had finally worked up the courage to tell her how he felt about her. After a time, she looked at him, her delicate brows puzzled. “What?”

“Nothing.” He sighed. “I suppose I should go do some work on my day off. Thanks to our unexpected and uninvited guests” — Noah cast an exaggerated glance at Garun — “I’m behind on my work.”

Garun chuckled. “And I was beginning to think you were just lazy.”

“Not me, but that describes him pretty well.” Noah nudged Aterre, who stood beside him, digging one toe into the sand.

Aterre looked up from the ground. “Huh? What did you say?”

“Were you even listening?”

“Sorry, no.”

“Is everything alright?” Emzara asked.

Aterre bit his lip and stared at her for a moment. “Yeah, I’m fine. Listen, I need to get over to Cada’s.”

Emzara tilted her head. “I thought you had the day off too.”

“I do, but I need to. . . .” Already walking away, Aterre turned and called over his shoulder, “there’s something I need to check on.”

“Will we see you later?”

Aterre just raised a hand in reply, and Emzara turned to Noah with a questioning smile. “Is he alright?”

Noah shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s been distracted like that for a little while.”

Bits of metal clinked as Garun shifted his position. “Maybe he’s thinking about finding his family. King Lamech did say something about helping him.”

Noah’s pulse quickened at the thought of a rescue attempt, but his excitement rapidly dampened. “But if I’m going to help him, as I promised I would, that would mean. . . .”

Emzara looked down and fidgeted with her bracelets. “Another trip to Havil.”

“Maybe I can go in your place,” Garun said. “When I get home, I can do some checking around. Do you know his mother’s name?”

Noah stared across the bay at nothing in particular. He slowly shook his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever asked him before. I’ll find out.”

Emzara pressed her hands together. “Forgive me for changing the subject. Garun, I never had the chance to thank you for warning Noah to get us out of Havil immediately.”

Garun turned toward her with a small bow. “It was the least I could do after learning what Naamah planned. I was relieved when I heard that your group escaped.” His prominent cheekbones rose as he smiled. “One thing’s for sure. You’ll never need to question Noah’s love for you. The way he withstood Naa —”

“I know.” Emzara’s features softened as she glanced at Noah. “He told me what happened.” She stepped forward and lightly kissed Garun’s cheek. “But thank you for the reminder of my husband’s faithfulness.”

Noah smiled at Garun and gestured to Emzara with his chin. “I knew I was married to the most wonderful woman in the world.”

Emzara drew back and pointed at him. “And don’t you forget it.” She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I have to check on Baba. He wasn’t feeling well this morning. Enjoy the shipyard. I’ll see you at evenfeast. Garun, would you like to join us?”

“I’d love to, but I need to get back to Ashur’s soon. Maybe tomorrow night?”

“I look forward to seeing you then.” Emzara held Noah’s hand against her cheek for a moment, then sighed and let it go. “Until this evening.”

Noah watched her walk down the hill toward the trail through the milknut trees. As she moved out of sight, he joined Garun close to the edge of the hilltop. “Tell me something.”

“What is it?”

“How can your king be so likeable at times?” Noah scratched the back of his neck. “He’s been so nice to me, and offering to help Aterre. . . .” He shook his head. “But then there was the serpent ceremony and Naamah . . . and every now and then, I would catch this look. . . .”

After scanning every direction, Garun’s eyes met Noah’s and his countenance turned serious. “Because he’s very good at what he does. He tells people what they want to hear, and when they’re not paying attention, he uses his power to do whatever he wants anyway. By the time the thing is done, people rarely challenge him.”

Noah held up a palm. “So was he just telling the council what they wanted to hear?”

Garun nodded and frowned. “Much of the time. He told several outright lies last night, but I couldn’t say anything then. He would have exiled me and my family, sold us into slavery, or worse.”

“Executed?”

“Possibly. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s gotten rid of someone who disagreed with him.” Garun looked down. “He lied about the serpent ceremony. He hasn’t put an end to it. If anything, it’s grown larger each year. And he hasn’t stopped Naamah from participating.” He pursed his lips. “She’s more involved in Nachash worship now. Ever since . . .” His gaze drifted to Noah and his eyes glinted. “Ever since that night you were there, she’s been following the teachings of a strange man, a seer.”

“A seer?”

“He’s supposedly able to communicate with spirits.”

“The spirits of those who have passed on?” Noah stroked his chin.

“More disturbing than that.” Garun said. “I’ve heard some of the ideas he teaches her. He says that the Creator is just one of many spiritual beings, or gods, who run this world. They believe Nachash is the most powerful god, so they follow him. They think he’ll reveal secrets about this world that will allow them to become the most powerful people on earth.”

“Do you think these spirits exist?” Noah asked.

Garun breathed deeply. “I wish I could say that I thought it was a hoax.”

“But you don’t.”

“No. They’ve learned things that no one should be able to know.” He looked away. “But I think it’s come at a cost. Naamah is different. She was always spoiled, but she used to smile and have a good sense of humor. Now. . . .” He shook his head. “She’s cold and — I’m not sure how else to put it. But it’s sad and, at times, more than a little frightening.”

Noah put a hand on Garun’s shoulder. “I’m sorry to hear that. Tubal-Cain will be unhappy to hear it as well.”

“I’m sure he will. He was always so good to her. But I think when he left, and” — he cast Noah an apologetic look — “when you rejected her, she stopped caring about anyone else. Now she just craves power and control.”

“Just like her father.” Noah folded his arms again.

“Yes. They make a dangerous team.” Garun tugged on the sleeve of his tunic to straighten it under his armor. “I was wrong about her sending the guards after you that night.”

“What do you mean?” Noah asked. “The guards did come after us.”

“Yes, but they were sent to capture Emzara.”

“Em? Why?”

“For revenge. She wanted to make you beg for Emzara’s life.”

Noah put his thumb on his upper lip as he pondered this new information. “Does she still want that?”

Garun shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard her mention either of you for quite some time. As I said, ever since you left, she’s been obsessed with this seer and the power he offers. She spends her days in the House of Knowledge for the most part.”

“I guess that’s a good thing.” Noah adjusted his stance. “There isn’t much we can do about it anyway, except take great care if we ever return to Havil. Which, judging from what you’re telling me of Lamech, I’m not sure we’ll ever do. What were some of the other lies he told at the council meeting?”

“His whole story about taking a second wife was false. Taking a second wife allowed him to flaunt his rebellion against the Creator’s ways and show the people that he could do it without any consequences.” Garun snorted his disgust. “His cant about leading his people by example was spot on, though. His example emboldens them to act wickedly too.”

Noah shook his head. “He sounded so convincing.”

“That’s one of the reasons he’s the king. He knows how to manipulate people into doing exactly what he wants.”

“Even if it means worshiping the Great Deceiver.”

Garun let out a breath as he nodded.

“So what about the scribe?” Noah asked.

“Bedin? What about him?”

“Is he really here to study our culture, like the king said, or is he here to spy on us?”

“I think he is here to record what he learns.” Garun shrugged. “That’s one thing Lamech didn’t lie about. He really is pulling together knowledge from all over the world. He’s determined to discover the path to longer life.”

Noah looked askance at Garun. “How?”

Garun chuckled. “I don’t know. But maybe it isn’t as crazy as it sounds. According to the old stories, Greatfather Adam and Greatmother Eve were created to live forever. Maybe there’s a way to at least prolong one’s life.”

Noah considered this, but Garun went on before he could comment.

“When I was a boy, I remember when our town received word that Greatfather died. They said he returned to the dust, just as the Creator said he would.” Garun crossed his arms. “At the time, my grandfather told me what had been passed down to him by Ma’anel — one of Greatfather’s sons. He said that the Most High created Greatfather from the dust of the ground and Greatmother from one of his ribs. They lived in a beautiful garden, but they were only there for a few days until the Serpent deceived Greatmother and she ate from the forbidden tree. After they sinned, the Creator banished them from the garden and cursed the ground.”

“Only a few days?”

Garun shrugged one shoulder. “That’s what I was told.”

“My grandfather told me many of the same details, but I never heard that part,” Noah said. “Also, he said that Greatfather was 930 years old when he died.”

“That’s what I heard too. In fact, I think the king is determined to live longer than that, so he can be seen as greater than the first man.”

“He’s definitely full of pride.”

“Yes he is.” Garun snorted. “But what he doesn’t know is that he’d have to surpass 985 years to outlive Ma’anel. Then again, maybe he does know that, since he mentioned something at the council meeting about living over a thousand years.”

Noah bent down to pluck a long blade of grass from the hillside, wondering about Lamech’s statement. Did the Creator set a limit on how long people could live? If He did, how could Lamech ever hope to break it? Cupping the grass between his hands, Noah lifted it to his lips and blew a long whistling note.

He grinned at Garun’s startled look. Suddenly, his thoughts shifted away from pondering such mysteries and to the man before him. “How did you ever become one of Lamech’s guards?”

“Before Lamech came to Havil, I was part of the city guard. I trained men to defend themselves and to fight. But I always taught that fighting was only for self-defense.” Garun bent and plucked a blade of grass of his own, but instead of raising it to his lips, he began shredding it, his mind on the past. “When Lamech arrived, he brought Sepha’s teachings with him. He joined the guard and quickly rose through the ranks — you’ve seen him. He used his considerable charisma to entice our men to Sepha, promising not only skill and discipline, but power. Before long, he joined the town council.” Shaking his head, Garun tossed the wad of shredded grass onto the ground, where the breeze tickled the strands, teasing them apart and scattering them across the hillside. “They never knew what hit them. Lamech — when he knows what he wants, he’s like a force of nature, inexorable and undeniable. With the support of most of the guards, he eventually assumed control of the city and made himself king. He assigned me to guard Tubal-Cain and Naamah.”

A quiet bitterness tinged with self-recrimination had crept into Garun’s voice as he told his story. Noah watched the fibers of Garun’s grass dance and twine among the still-standing blades, trying to figure out how to ask his next question without causing his friend more pain. “Why did no one stand up to him?”

“I ask myself that all the time. I wish I had done something right away, but I was blind. I don’t think anyone could have imagined how quickly he’d rise to power and how wicked he really was.”

“So what was Havil like before he arrived?”

“I’m sure it wasn’t as good as I like to think it was. I can’t blame the king for everything.” Garun gazed across the water and rubbed his hand over his chin with a sound like sand blowing across stone. “We had problems to deal with, like violence and theft. You don’t have that many people together in one place without some trouble. But since Lamech, people seem to be unashamed of their evil acts.” A contemplative smile crossed his lips. “You know, I think I might take you up on your offer.”

“What offer?”

“To move here.”

Noah raised an eyebrow. “You’ll want to collect your family, of course.” He paused. “I know someone who has a boat.”

Grinning, Garun gripped Noah’s shoulder. “Let me give that some more thought. For now, I should get back to Ashur’s to help Bedin. We’re moving into that guest house today.”