Blood Covenant by Lisa Harris

Author:Lisa Harris [Harris, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-310-42660-8
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2011-06-16T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-NINE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 4:08 P.M.

KINGANI REFUGEE CAMP

Samson stood beneath the umbrella of a gnarled acacia tree and gazed past the unending rows of white tents and groups of women gathered around small cooking fires. Beyond them, a billow of black smoke rose, marking the remnants of yet another village destroyed by the rebels. He’d listened to the radio reports where government spokesmen, speaking from their plush homes behind electric fences, assured the people that President Tau’s army had crushed the rebels and that there was no need for panic.

But this was not what he’d seen when the rebels appeared in the darkness, shooting their automatic weapon and waving their machetes while burning down his family’s huts. No doubt news traveled slowly to the ears of the fat government officials who seemed to care little about the precarious situation thousands now faced.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, wondering if there was a solution, or if this was simply how the rest of his life would play out. Perhaps his people had unknowingly angered the ancestors and were now cursed. What other explanation was there? Their own victory last night during the rebels’ surprise raid had been nothing more than a fluke because they hadn’t expected any resistance. It was only a matter of time before the rebels returned, and this time, they’d come with reinforcements.

He caught sight of a shadowy figure looming on the rise. He’d foolishly wanted to believe these Ghost Soldiers would disappear once they raided the camp, but instead camp guards had reported sightings of them everywhere. They lurked in the thick trees of the forest, stood guard along the banks of the river, and infested the nearby villages, turning this place of refuge into a prison.

He shifted his weight, wishing he could find relief from the hammering heat. He’d spent the past two hours circling the perimeter of the camp, ensuring that all volunteer guards stood in their place. Eight hadn’t shown up and another three had come to their posts drunk.

No, he was fooling himself if he thought the guards surrounding the camp could do anything to stop the rebels if—when — they decided to attack again. Two years working as a security guard in the capital had taught him that. Without armed backup or trained forces who could control and monitor the situation they were no better off than a group of tethered goats. And the threat of violence wasn’t limited to outside sources. He’d already dealt with clashes inside the camp as the stress of the refugees continued to rise.

And the stress had escalated when they’d watched the rebels dump the dead bodies onto the ground. Even the two dollars a day promised to those who volunteered to guard the camp wasn’t enough to hold back the fear or keep the guards in their places. He started for the clinic to check on Asim. His official watch didn’t start for another two hours, which meant Dr. Ryan would nag at him to rest until then, but sleep had become elusive.

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