11

Somehow, Skye managed to doze off. She dreamt the same dream she’d had for the last few months—sand, heat, and being lost.

Mistress. Mistress, you must awaken.

Skye sat up with a start, breathing hard and sweating through her robe. She glanced around, trying to make sense of her world. It only took a second to remember.

Leah stood at her side, her eyes wide and her lips trembling. “Mistress?”

Skye managed a smile. “What do you need, Leah?”

“You were calling out in your sleep. I thought you were distressed.”

“No, I’m fine. But thank you. It was very sweet of you to be concerned.”

Leah’s face didn’t iron out with the reassurance, so Skye pushed off from the pallet on the floor to prove she was fine. Candlelight danced off the walls, intertwining with the moonlight coming through the windows. Icy fear trickled down her neck. She couldn’t be here overnight. They had to find a way out. They had to figure out how to escape.

Escape? The word gave her chills. Was she being kept prisoner? It seemed crazy, but what other explanation could there be?

“Has Philip returned?” Skye asked.

Leah shook her head.

Skye had no idea how long it’d been since he left, or since she fell asleep, but it had to be at least a couple hours. What could be keeping him? Glancing out the windows, she scanned for invaders. But the guards remained at their posts, keeping her enemies away in the torchlight.

Skye shuddered. Enemies? This was crazier than walking through the hallways of her high school.

At school, bullies had been her problem. Here, it was the masses. And Saul? He was the principal of the ancient city she’d been tossed into. Maybe she needed to become his pet. Then she’d have a way to keep the dissenters at bay.

“Mistress.” Leah’s soft voice turned her from the window. “We must prepare for supper. Guests have already begun arriving.”

Skye didn’t want food, but she had to play her part. “Of course.” She hurried to Leah’s side and allowed the girl to help her change into a sea green robe. Leah tied a gold-colored sash around Skye’s waist, then led her to the vanity where she’d brushed Skye’s hair earlier in the day.

Again, she arranged Skye’s hair. Next, she applied makeup and jewelry. Finally, she pinned a gold-colored veil over the bottom half of Skye’s face and arranged a head covering over her blond hair.

Skye’s heart beat out a quick rhythm as she allowed Leah to lead her to the distorted, dirty, copper mirror. Her reflection caught her off guard even though she had anticipated a different look from earlier in the day. Tonight, she had heavier eye makeup, richer colored clothing, and the veil that covered her face. The deep jewel tone of the robe, and the golden veil that covered her face gave her a definite princess feel.

If she was supposed to be a beautiful goddess, she was succeeding at looking the part. What would Philip think?

“Are you pleased?” Leah asked.

Skye swallowed around the lump in her throat. She nodded. “Yes, thank you. You’ve done a wonderful job.”

Leah beamed, and Skye reached to give her a hug. But when she leaned forward, Leah stiffened in her arms. Skye’s heart sank. Poor girl wasn’t used to being hugged or thanked, that much was obvious.

Skye pulled away so she wouldn’t make Leah any more uncomfortable. Now she glanced toward the door. Where was Philip? He should be here by now.

“Leah, can you do something for me?”

Leah perked up again, her shoulders straight and her eyes bright. “Anything, Mistress.”

“Will you find out where Philip is? I would feel much more comfortable for tonight’s supper with him by my side.”

Leah bowed quickly and then hurried out. The huge door closed with a soft thud behind her, essentially locking Skye in.

The fear in the pit of her stomach returned. She was alone in this strange place, and she couldn’t even get out.

What if she tried? Would the guards at the door let her pass? She was supposed to be Hebat, for goodness’ sake! Shouldn’t they obey her?

But the problem was, she wasn’t Hebat. She was no one, and she couldn’t pretend otherwise. Once these people spent any amount of time with her, they were sure to pick up on the fact that she wasn’t who they thought. They would see straight through her guise, and then what?

Toss her out? Imprison her?

Where was Philip?

She moved to the lounge and sank into the seat to wait for Leah to return. Then, it would be time to face her guests.

~*~

The golden bangles on Skye’s wrists clanged together, making it hard for her to take Saul’s hands when he came for her.

“Hebat.” Saul kissed her hands. “You are stunning. You take my breath away.”

Skye forced out a smile, uncomfortable with his praise. His large belly protruded underneath his robes, pushing the material out past the ropes tied around his waist. His scratchy beard irritated her cheeks as he pulled her close, and she silently wondered why he felt he had permission to touch her, even hug her.

“Come, come!” he went on, obviously not noticing how uncomfortable he made her. “Our guests await!”

She started to follow him out the door but then pulled him to a stop. Leah had not returned, and she needed to know. “Saul, wait.” She swallowed hard. “Please. Philip will be there, won’t he? I haven’t seen him for several hours.”

“Do not worry over your friend,” Saul said in a friendly voice. “Saul takes care of everything.”

He whisked her down the marble steps at such a fast pace that she couldn’t keep up with him and talk at the same time, but his answer was hardly an answer at all. The voices of their guests drifted on the air as she drew closer to the bottom of the steps. Her stomach twisted. If she was to be stuck in the past, couldn’t she have been deposited in the middle of the empty desert? Why a busy street in the middle of a city that would believe she was someone important?

Saul steered her to the right, through a large sitting room and then to a type of dining room, nothing like the dining rooms back home. This one had a long, low table less than a foot off the ground. Pillows took the place of chairs, and many of the guests already sat around the table on the cushions.

“My friends, please stand and greet our guest of honor!” Saul’s voice boomed around the room. His guests—mostly men—scrambled to their feet. They all bowed deeply, and Skye shifted uncomfortably. All this for her? They would be angry when she and Philip hightailed it out of there.

“Please welcome Hebat, goddess of the heavens. She has come to bless the temple, and we will celebrate her presence throughout the three-day festival, which will begin this very night.”

The guests clapped, and for the first time Skye was thankful for her face veil. If these people could see her clearly, they’d see how panicked Saul’s announcement made her. A festival? To celebrate her?

No, no, no.

“Come, Hebat. Dine with us!” someone called.

She glanced at Saul, and he urged her to a spot at the head of the table. Her stomach twisted again, and she couldn’t believe this was happening. She needed to be home, taking educational tours in London and hating every moment she spent with Philip.

At the thought of him, she hurriedly looked around, but Philip was nowhere to be seen, and there wasn’t an empty spot at the table. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized he wouldn’t be here for this meal. How could she do this on her own?

Fear returned, but Skye forced herself to stay put while everything in her screamed to flee.

Lord Jesus, help me.

Skye took her seat, crossing her legs and hoping she could stay balanced on the cushion. Saul sat to her right, and Lilla sat across from him. A young man sat on her left. Skye guessed he was a few years older than she was. His dark eyes held hers, and he offered a friendly smile. Downright congenial.

Still, Skye wasn’t in the mood to make friends. She forced out a smile and then looked away.

But the guy didn’t give up that easily. “I am Seth,” he said. His smooth, soft voice drew her out of her shell, and she reluctantly looked back at him. He was clean shaven, with nice, smooth skin and a strong jaw. His arms and broad shoulders showed through his cream-colored robes.

Skye wasn’t used to anyone paying her attention, let alone handsome men. Her cheeks burned, and she bit her bottom lip. “It is nice to meet you,” she said.

“You honor me with your presence, Hebat.” He bowed his head to her, she supposed in reverence.

She smiled nervously, not wanting to lie but willing herself to play her part.

Oh, where was Philip?

“Are you happy with the announcement of the festival?”

Her smile faltered, but she worked to paste it on. “It honors me greatly,” she squeaked out.

He held her gaze an extra moment, almost too long, before turning away. She looked down and took a deep, steadying breath. Had he noticed too much hesitation in her answer?

A server brought out a platter of food, and over the next few minutes, more servers brought more dishes. Most of it was unrecognizable to Skye. The smells were foreign—a mixture of cinnamon and beef?

Right now she would give just about anything to be back at home with Mrs. Garrison.

Or Mom.

What was going on at home while she and Philip were stuck in the past? Was time moving forward with Mom and Mr. Matthews noticing their kids were missing? Was Mom’s work going well, or had she been double-crossed as she’d feared?

Skye wanted to be home, not here.

She glanced around at the people. The place. The customs. Where was she, and what time period? Philip was supposed to find that out, but he hadn’t returned. He could have been hurt or captured, but Skye didn’t think so. She was used to being pranked at school, and she could spot a gag a mile away. Saul was holding something back when she’d asked about Philip. He was lying to her, and she didn’t know why.

If things were to work out for Philip and her, she had to stop cowering and start being proactive. She swallowed hard. What she needed was a plan.

Ideas formed in her head. Slowly, she leaned toward Seth. “Will you be attending the festival?”

He raised his dark eyebrows. “Certainly, Hebat. The entire city will be there. Probably even the entire countryside!”

What country is that? her mind screamed. But how to ask that?

“How far do the borders reach?” she asked instead. If she could get him talking, maybe she could put the pieces together. Thank the Lord, she’d studied with Mr. Kilpatrick.

Seth straightened. He was obviously proud of whatever he had to share. “Our borders shift every single day,” he said. “We grow because of our prosperity. Sumer will soon be the center of the civilized world!”

Score!

Sumer. She could deal with that. It was in ancient Mesopotamia, made up of various, self-governing cities in the area that was now called Iraq. The area played a big part in different Biblical stories.

She opened her mouth to ask what brought the prosperity that was spurring the growth, but then she remembered how Saul had mentioned the temple to honor her. She was supposed to be here because she was pleased with their growth. She couldn’t go asking about things she was supposed to know.

A commotion at the doorway drew her attention, and a guard stepped forward. He bowed deeply. “Saul, forgive me. We have a single guest who insists his invitation was forgotten for tonight’s feast.”

Saul’s eyes narrowed, and he didn’t even try hiding his irritation. “Who?”

“Come, Saul, there is no need for the formalities.” A man breezed past the guard. His skin sagged, and the bushy hair coming from under his head covering was billowed and white.

Skye gasped softly. He was the man from the alley, the one who had stared at her.

Saul’s scowl changed, though Skye guessed it took much effort. “Of course you are welcome here, Ezekiel. Please, have a seat.”

This was Ezekiel? The man whom Leah had worked for? She had called him kind.

Skye watched him closely as he interacted with Saul, and servants hustled to provide an extra cushion. They made a place for him at the opposite end of the table from Skye.

He caught her eye and winked before moving into a conversation with a man seated nearer him.

But Skye’s nerves went on high alert. He was here for her, and she knew it.