4

Mahlah held her sixteen-year-old sister close. Noah’s head covering radiated the heat of the sun and warmed Mahlah’s cheek. “My heart rejoices that you are here now. I wished to warn you about the snakes, but I thought it best to go after Father.”

“Then the rumors of rebellion are true?” Noah stepped backward and secured her whip. “Another shepherd told me our clan led the rioters.” Her dark eyes grew somber. “I didn’t want to believe it.”

“’Tis true. Father took his temper and insults to Moses.” Mahlah swept a tear from her face. “He is no more.”

Noah’s chest sank to her belt. She tapped her fingers to her lips. “I did not believe he would act upon his utterances.” She blinked. “I thought his harshness was for our ears.”

“Your whole family is out of control. Rocks and whips.” Basemath stomped toward Mahlah. Rolling up her sleeve, she displayed the few small scratches. “My father will hear of this insult. I came at his urging to offer comfort to you and your sisters, and I was attacked.”

“By what?” Noah crossed her arms. Leather bracelets covered both of her wrists. “A sparrow?”

Giggles filled the small clearing.

Not one sputter left Mahlah’s lips. She needed the support of Basemath’s father and brother. “I appreciate your father’s concern, but I will see to the well-being of my sisters.”

“On whose authority?” Basemath showed little compassion.

Noah rotated her whip. “Mahlah is the firstborn of Zelophehad.”

Basemath took a step backward. All the while, she jabbed a finger at Mahlah’s face. “How can you lead a family? You are a woman with no husband. No one has even offered a marriage betrothal.”

Could this troublemaker shout that truth any louder?

“Someone will seek her. In time.” Noah seemed so sure of what Mahlah was not.

Her neighbor barked out a laugh. “Not for a long time. Not after your father brought punishment on our tribe and others. Don’t you want Moses to bestow a blessing on our clan? Come under my father’s tent and all will be forgotten. He will offer a bride price for your sisters.”

“And what will we do under your father’s tent?” Mahlah breathed deep and kept her feet firmly planted lest she lunge at Basemath. “Serve you and anyone your father deems worthy?” Her chest heaved. “Shall we forget we are the daughters of Zelophehad?” Her eyes welled to the brim at the mention of her father’s name.

“What name do you want remembered?” Basemath opened her arm in the direction of two curious gawkers. “Nemuel or Zelophehad? The living or the dead?”

“Zelophehad,” Noah shouted. Her glare glistened with grief, but it challenged anyone to defy her.

“Enough.” Mahlah would not allow her father to be maligned or for Basemath to stir trouble. “Our father was not the first to challenge God, and he won’t be the last.” Sweat trickled down Mahlah’s hairline. She brushed all the wetness into her sunbaked locks.

“Tirzah should ask forgiveness.” Hoglah gripped Tirzah’s arm like a vice. “Settle this matter in the family before we cause another disruption.”

An odd humming filled Mahlah’s ears. How could Hoglah side with their squawking neighbor? Hadn’t they suffered enough humiliation this day? Where did Hoglah’s allegiance lie? And where were her tears?

“We have work to do.” Mahlah’s throat cinched as she glimpsed an elderly man ordering his family about. Her own father would be left to rot in the desert he loathed. She ran her hand over her uncovered head. “Return to your family, Basemath. I’m sure your mother could use your assistance. I will decide what is best for our sister. We need to tend to our own belongings and finish with our tent.”

Down the path, a tent collapsed with a gush of wind. Dust clouded the air as men and women packed their belongings on a donkey and camels.

“I am not going anywhere. I am the daughter of Nemuel.” Basemath bared her arm and held it up for all to see. “I demand retribution for this injury.” She strutted closer. Her breath breezed against Mahlah’s nose. “If you are the head of this family, then bring that brat over here so I can dig my fingernails into her arm.”

Mahlah’s feet almost lifted from the path. A rush of blood surged through her body. Oh, how she wished to blow the stench of Basemath’s words into her slit-eyed face.

“Don’t do it, sister.” Noah stepped forward. “She is a cold-hearted goat. Tirzah doesn’t even reach her hip. Shall our sister suffer more abuse after the loss of her father?”

Glancing sideways, Mahlah beheld her silent youngest sister. She couldn’t remember a time Tirzah lacked words. Her sister’s tiny fist opened and released a pebble. Her palm was as scarlet as her eyes.

Hoglah did not twitch a muscle. Was she challenging Noah or embarrassed by this confrontation?

“A true leader wouldn’t allow this disregard for authority.” Basemath cocked her veiled head and smirked. “But then, like father like daughter.”

Specks of light blurred Mahlah’s vision, but she had worse problems than her own insult. Noah’s wrath threatened to lash out at their accuser. Mahlah straight-armed her sister and pushed her toward the tent.

“I will answer her challenge,” Mahlah said, “as the oldest.”

Noah’s ample chest rose and fell under Mahlah’s forearm.

“Do not let her break us apart,” Mahlah warned.

Noah met Mahlah’s gaze and gave a slight nod.

Mahlah whirled around and thrust her bared arm forward. “You want retribution? Then as the firstborn of Zelophehad’s daughters, you may take it upon my arm.”

“Don’t, Mahlah.” Tirzah’s small body contorted as she struggled against Hoglah’s firm grip.

Grinning, Basemath strolled forward and grasped Mahlah’s arm. “I’ll accept your offer.”

Mahlah beheld Basemath’s glee-filled stare. She would have sworn she had seen more warmth in the onyx eyes of the snakes. Mahlah lifted her sleeve. “Let it not be said we are in your debt.”

Basemath dug her talon-like nails into Mahlah’s flesh.

Tingles. Burn. And then fire. Mahlah’s right eye twitched. Of all the times to have a spasm. This was the worst. She clenched her teeth and blinked away any hint of a cry.

Five curved lines grew scarlet and marred Mahlah’s sun-browned skin.

“You have lost your standing in this clan,” Basemath whispered with a grin born of celebration. “Do not mock me or my father.”

Mahlah balled her fist and yanked her arm from her relative’s clutches. “I am still the oldest daughter of Zelophehad, son of Hepher. I will see to my sisters’ care.”

“For now.” Basemath scowled in Tirzah’s direction and then sauntered toward of her tent.

A trumpet wailed in the distance. The long, low blast urged the tribes into formation.

“Hear that sisters?” Mahlah lowered her sleeve to cover the scratches on her arm. “It is time to pack up our home. We will continue to travel as a family.”

A pair of thin arms wrapped around Mahlah’s waist. Always-observant Milcah burrowed into Mahlah’s side. Her thin body trembled. “I don’t want to live with anyone else.”

Tirzah hugged on Mahlah’s hip and sobbed. “Me neither.”

Tears streamed from Mahlah’s eyes. This time, it was not because of her twitch or grief. She adored the rough-skin touch of her sisters and inhaling the faint scent of myrtle wafting from their hair. She held out her arms for Noah and Hoglah to join the group embrace. Their father was gone, but his daughters remained, and together they would stay.

Unless.

Unless Basemath had overheard discussions among the leaders of her tribe. Was Nemuel going to separate her sisters? Basemath’s words echoed in her ears. They were together for now. Mahlah wouldn’t let anyone take her sisters. She had a vow to uphold.

Arms open wide, Noah joined her sisters in a sorrow-filled hug.

Hoglah picked up a tent peg and retreated from her family. “We’ve work to do since you scared off our kin.”

“Yes, we do.”

Couldn’t Hoglah offer some comfort? Mahlah’s stomach clenched. She squeezed Noah and her young sisters tighter before withdrawing herself from their arms. “Now, pack up. We will follow God wherever He moves us.” She blew out a strangled breath. “And we will follow God together.”