19

“You are ready to climb out, are you not?” Ezekiel stared at them with a smile on his face.

Skye glared. How dare he leave them out here for so long? But she took her cues from Philip and climbed out without complaining.

Leah scrambled out behind them.

“Forgive me,” Ezekiel went on. “I did not want my family to see you. It would put them in danger should anyone come asking.”

Skye’s anger fizzled out. He’d been protecting his family—his papaya. That kind of devotion to his family was admirable. She wouldn’t know anything about that.

Taking a deep breath, she worked to calm herself. She had to stop thinking like that if she was to work on forgiving Mom and building a new relationship. She forced a smile. “Ezekiel, thank you for helping us. I have to be honest, I want to find a way home. Can you help us with that?”

He raised his eyebrows, glancing between Skye and Philip until his gaze landed on Philip. “Home? And where is home? This one, she knows she is not Hebat, no?”

Philip didn’t laugh, even though it was obviously a joke. Instead, he swallowed hard and glanced at Skye. He’d been telling her all along to play the part, but what, exactly, was her part when it came to Ezekiel?

Her stomach twisted, and she shifted on the dirt-packed floor. “Forgive me, Ezekiel.” She forced the words out, hoping they sounded contrite instead of annoyed. “I don’t mean to demand, or offend. I am nervous, especially after the information you gave us at Saul’s villa.”

He smiled a kind smile. “I understand, Mistress. May I call you that?” He paused, and she nodded. He went on. “You are not from around here, no? And you do not know how you arrived?”

Skye’s mind reeled. How did he know these things? “That’s right.”

He sighed deeply, turned, and began leading them from the stable. “Come. We have much to discuss.”

She threw a worried look Philip’s way. He shrugged but motioned for her to follow Ezekiel. Philip brought up the rear.

Ezekiel led them from the stable that had been built into the side of a cave. The air was cooler outside of the city, and it smelled better but still bad—the animal smell was still strong, but the odor of unwashed bodies was less.

Green hills rolled for as far as she could see, reminding her of the land around Stonehenge. Behind her, she could make out the city in the distance. They weren’t too far, but not too close, either. That was good. She definitely didn’t want to be close.

Ezekiel led them down a small, dirt path that wound through a tree orchard and ended at a short, squat hut. A few paces to the left stood a sprawling villa, bigger than Saul’s. Skye stared at the main house. How did they build such enormous houses without modern technology? Vines ran through trellises on the sides of the home, and she counted windows on first, second, and third floors.

Obviously, people had been building houses like this forever, but it was jarring to see it firsthand. She had seen smaller, more modest homes as they’d ran through the city. The rich were the only ones with homes that could be called villas.

Again, Skye wondered at Ezekiel and Saul’s places within the city government.

Ezekiel opened the door to the hut and bent low to enter.

“Mistress?” Ezekiel’s head popped out from the hut, and she smiled nervously.

“Coming.” She ducked inside, and Philip followed.

The inside of the hut was exactly what she had expected. Dirt floor, rough dirt walls, and a little light let in through a hole in the ceiling. The animal smell was strong inside the hut, and Skye spotted a mother cat washing her kittens. In one corner, a cluster of hens pecked. As soon as she saw them, they started clucking and scratching, flapping their wings and generally freaking out at the disruption to their lives. The mother cat hissed.

Skye couldn’t help smiling a little. She hadn’t seen chickens since she was a little girl on a school field trip.

Ezekiel led them to a crude table. Thankfully, this one had chairs around it. She didn’t really want to sit in the dirt, even if there were cushions involved.

They sat willingly, but Skye had the feeling they should be asking more questions. What if Ezekiel was the one waiting to sacrifice her? He could tie her up with barely a fight.

Resolve formed deep inside. She would do whatever she had to do to return to safety. She wouldn’t let anyone stop them. She was thankful for the time she’d spent at the soup kitchen, mingling with people who slept on the streets—some of them violent, and often telling their stories.

“So.” Philip’s voice drew her back. He sounded sure, not wavering as she had felt a moment before. “Ezekiel, you seem to know a lot about who we are and where we came from.”

Ezekiel smiled kindly, a look he seemed to have perfected. “Not at all. You see, I only know that you are not from Sumer and that you are not Hebat.” He directed the last comment to Skye.

She wanted to ask how he knew these things, but really, it wasn’t too hard to figure out. They’d shown up in jeans and t-shirts.

Philip glanced at her, as if silently asking permission to say more. She nodded. If they were to make it home, they had to trust someone. Why not Ezekiel?

“We don’t know how we ended up here,” Philip admitted. “We were somewhere else, very far away. We seemed to have fallen through…fallen through time.” His voice lowered when he said the last part.

Ezekiel didn’t seemed shocked or outraged, acting as though it was as normal as staying for dinner. “It is as I suspected.”

His calm words surprised Skye. She leaned across the table, shaking her head. “How? How did you know to even suspect such a thing?”

Her questions didn’t upset him. Instead, he sighed and leaned against the hard chair back. “It has happened before.”

OK. She hadn’t expected that.

Philip spoke before she could form a reply. “If it’s happened before, can you help us reverse it?”

Slowly, agonizingly, Ezekiel shook his head. “I can do nothing, except instruct you in the way.”

“We will take that, happily.” Philip looked to her, and she nodded agreement. This was exactly what they’d hoped for—someone who could tell them how to get home.

But Ezekiel’s expression didn’t change. His eerie frown deepened. “I am afraid it will not be easy. The prophecies say that when Hebat comes, she must be sacrificed on the third day, then rise again.”

Sharp chills broke out across Skye’s skin. The heat in the hut, mixed with the chill in the air, made her queasy. “Like, Jesus or something?” The words were out before she could stop them.

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow. “Jesus? I know not any Jesus.”

She scanned her memories and remembered that Sumer had existed before Jesus came. Before he rose from the grave on the third day.

Of course Ezekiel didn’t know what she was talking about.

“What does this mean?” Philip asked. “And why does it matter in terms of us getting home?” His voice had changed. He was getting impatient—anxious.

Skye watched him, admiring him slightly. He reminded her of his dad, the way he commanded the conversation and seemed fully in charge.

Even though Ezekiel was totally in charge here.

“It means,” Ezekiel said patiently, “that people will be looking for you, Mistress. You have disappeared, which dishonors the city. The people will want to know what they did to displease you. They will beg for your return and your eventual sacrifice to show that you are happy with the land.”

Now that she was out of the city, the entire thing was surreal. And much less scary. How could they find her, hidden away in this dirt hut? Still, if this affected her way home, she wanted to know. “When you say sacrifice, do you mean that literally?”

Another deep nod. “Yes, Mistress. The ceremony will be at the end of the festival, at the base of the tower.”

Again, a recollection in the back of her mind nagged her. Something about the tower, and the city’s history. It must be something she had learned, and she wanted to pin it down, but there was too much going on.

“Can you tell us what we need to do to leave then?” Philip stood and paced the small room. His head barely cleared the roof of the small hut. “The people will be watching for Skye. Is that what you mean? So it will be difficult to move around without people mobbing her?”

Ezekiel stood, too. He seemed uncomfortable to sit while his guest stood. He had to duck slightly to keep from touching the top of the hut. “It is as you say. You came into the city at the marketplace. I know not why, but you must return through time at the base of the tower. It is the stones that have the power of time.”

Someone called from outside the hut, interrupting the rest of Ezekiel’s instructions. His brow lowered, and the shout sounded again. “I must go. Stay here. For now, you will be safe.”

He left before they could ask anything else, and Skye growled. “I wish this stupid hut had a window.”

Philip shook his head. “It’s probably the lack of windows that’s keeping us safe. So, what do you think about all of this? We have to go back into the city and make it to the tower.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, I definitely want to do it. I don’t want to be stuck here.”

She wanted him to sit, but he continued pacing. Where was Ezekiel? What was taking him so long? “Do you think it’s Saul?” It was hard to ask, but fear knotted her stomach.

His eyes met hers, and she could tell he felt the same fear. “I don’t know.”

He paced as seconds ticked by. What was happening outside? The shouting had stopped as soon as Ezekiel left the hut, but what if it was Saul’s guards coming to check for her?

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. Standing, she shook off her nerves and paced next to Philip. He quirked an eyebrow at her. She gave him a small smile, and half shrugged. “What? Even Hebat gets nervous from time to time.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “This is all crazy.” He stopped pacing for a step and faced her. “You know that, right?”

Skye took a shaky breath. “Yeah, I know. But it’s kind of nice, being on the people’s radars because they actually like me.”

A dark look crossed his face, but it vanished quickly. “People would like you back home if you’d let them.” His voice had softened, and it made her nervous.

She laughed nervously. “Right, because I have such a great track record of people having my back.”

The dark look returned, and Philip turned away. He resumed pacing, and Skye bit her lip. She shouldn’t have said that, even if it were true. Right now, they had more important things to focus on. Forgiving people was harder than she thought it would be. She should apologize. “Philip, I—,”

Before she could finish, the door swung open, and Ezekiel peeked inside. “They are searching, as I feared. I have sent them away, but they will likely be back. Come.”

Skye scrambled after him, clueless as to who he meant. But whoever had come looking was obviously a threat to their safety. Was it the person who wanted to sacrifice her? Or just someone who would take her to that person?

They followed Ezekiel through the yard, away from the villa and toward what looked like a vineyard. She wanted to ask what type of getup Ezekiel was running. Animal farm? Wine press?

But he walked at a fast pace, and she had to struggle to keep her legs moving. It had been hours since she ate, and even longer since Philip had eaten. He had to be starving. Besides that, they’d both only had minimal sleep.

“I have sent my family away,” Ezekiel said as they walked. “They received word from my wife’s mother just this morning, asking for them to visit. I encouraged my wife to leave right away. She agreed, and they left not a half hour ago!” He stopped behind a smaller villa. It wasn’t grand or fancy, but it was obviously a home. “I have also sent for a few of the council members. I know not if they will come, but we must hope and pray.”

Pray? To whom? Skye had no way of knowing if Ezekiel believed in the one true God, or just the gods, but he was right about praying.

Philip stepped closer to Ezekiel. “These council members will know how to send us home?”

Ezekiel’s wide grin revealed his crooked and missing teeth. “This I know not. Some of them were apprentices to the council many years ago when the other visitors arrived from different times and places. I believe they can help, and as we have no other options…” He held his hands out and shrugged.

Skye took a deep breath and glanced around. “What do we do until the council arrives?”

Ezekiel motioned to the building. “This is where the servants live. You will be hidden well if you stay here.” He turned to Leah, and Skye’s heart clenched. Poor Leah hadn’t eaten in hours. She was already so tiny, she had to be starving.

“You mother will be pleased to see you, little one,” Ezekiel said to Leah.

For the first time since they’d run away the night before, Leah’s face lit up.

“She is in the kitchen,” Ezekiel said. “Go and find her, and she will feed you.”

Leah didn’t wait for further instructions.

Skye’s eyes pricked with tears at how happy Leah was to see her mom. At this point, Skye would be just as happy to see her own.

Ezekiel took each of their elbows and led them inside the house. “I have instructed the keeper to allow you to rest first. When you awake, you will be given food.”

Food sounded better than sleep, but she wouldn’t argue.

Ezekiel led them further into the house. The main entryway was large, with a low table set up in the center. Two hallways snaked off either side of the room, and Ezekiel led them to the left. “You will be separated, of course.”

This time, Skye’s gaze flew to Philip. He frowned but again didn’t put up a fight.

“Pistorious will find you when you awake. He is never far.”

A man rounded a corner and glided toward them. He was tall and skinny, with long, silky, brown robes. His weren’t rough like Saul’s servants’ robes.

“Ah,” Ezekiel said. “Here he is now. I will leave you in his care.”

Pistorious bowed deeply to Ezekiel, and Ezekiel nodded. The “keeper” was obviously an important guy.

The prospect of sleeping in Ezekiel’s servants’ house instead of a dark, cramped cart with Philip brought relief. Something moved inside her—a feeling of trustworthiness.

Ezekiel has good intentions.

Skye had no idea where the feelings came from, only that she was sure now she could trust him. Thank You, Heavenly Father. Gratefulness filled her. “Thank you, Ezekiel. We can never repay your kindness.”

He laughed, almost as if he was just as excited as she was. “It is my pleasure, Mistress. Unfortunately, the need to hide you is still present. Because of this, you should play the part of servant, at least until the council arrives. Is this acceptable to you?”

Skye glanced at Philip. He nodded, so she agreed.

“Very good,” Ezekiel said. “Then I shall see you soon. Good day.” He left them with Pistorious, the keeper, so Skye turned toward him.

“The women sleep in the north chamber, and the men in the south,” Pistorious said. “I assume this is acceptable to you?”

“Yes,” Skye said. Then, she glanced at Philip to make sure it was OK with him. She tended to take control without thinking of asking anyone else—as she’d done with setting herself up to work with the poor in London instead of asking Mom first. Maybe she needed to learn to be more of a team player, as soon as she learned how to get over her grudges.

“As long as it’s safe it’s fine with me,” Philip agreed.

This seemed to amuse Pistorious, and he raised one eyebrow. “It is safe, I assure you. Those wearing brown are the outdoor servants. They tend the orchards, the animals, the houses. Those wearing white robes tend inside the house. Do you have a preference?”

Skye’s brain froze. A preference for hard labor? “I think I’d prefer to work inside.”

Pistorious nodded solemnly, as if he would choose that himself.

Philip didn’t answer right away, just glanced around, taking it all in. Finally, he said, “I’d like to stay outside.”

“Then it is decided. You will find me in this very house when you finish your rest.” He indicated the doorway behind them, and Skye saw beds filled the room. Pistorious bowed to Skye and then took Philip by the elbow and began leading him away.

Skye’s breath caught. She didn’t want to be separated from Philip—the last time hadn’t gone so well.

Philip glanced over his shoulder and watched her as he retreated with Pistorious. He obviously didn’t like it either.

Skye looked into the north wing. Small pallets on the floor lined the room. This was where she would sleep until the council came. She swallowed hard, nerves twisting her stomach. Philip was gone, so she moved toward an empty bed and lay down. This had to be better than being at Saul’s where someone wanted to sacrifice her.

But what if this didn’t work out? Would she ever see Philip again?