The Barbarian (The Herod Chronicles Book 2) by Thomas Wanda Ann

Author:Thomas, Wanda Ann [Thomas, Wanda Ann]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2014-10-23T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

Elizabeth pushed her breakfast plate away. The finest dishes adorned the table. Fragrant flowers filled the vases. A dozen golden lamps flickered, sending light dancing over the multicolored mosaic tiles decorating the floor and walls. But the food tasted like ashes in her mouth, and Simeon Onias's revolting presence robbed the dining chamber of its luster.

Married to the malicious man for the three most miserable months of her life, Elizabeth had been tempted to hide under her bedcovers when he barged into her home a mere two hours earlier, but she wasn't going to allow him to intimidate her the way he had during their brief, hideous marriage.

The slaves tiptoed about as though navigating a snake pit. Her brother Gabriel and sister-in-law Talitha were doing their best to be polite, but Simeon's sharp tongue didn't make it easy. Elizabeth and her mother had placed Lydia between them to watch over her. Elizabeth gritted her teeth again over the miserable fate awaiting Lydia. A marriage to a foreigner, serving a foreign god, in a foreign land. What had tempted Simeon to sink so low?

More frightening noises intruded. Sounds of men battling for control of Jerusalem. A chill of dread went down her spine.

Her father frowned. "How much longer will the fighting last?"

Simeon broke off a piece of bread from a rye loaf. "Stop fretting, Cousin. We are perfectly safe. Hasmond's soldiers won't come anywhere near us."

"I would like to hear the details of this deal you've made with the devil," Gabriel said, making his disgust plain.

Simeon dipped the chunk of rye bread into a small bowl of olive oil. "Once the Temple grounds are secure, Hasmond has promised to make me the Captain of the Temple." He pointed at her father. "You will be named the Temple Overseer. And Gabriel will become a Temple Treasurer."

Her brother's brows rose. "Overseer? Treasurer? How many bags of coin did you give Hasmond?"

Simeon pursed his mouth. "Don't be crass."

"Crass?" Gabriel repeated incredulously. "You sold your daughter to a heathen king, and you have the gall to call me crass?"

Elizabeth wanted to hug her brother.

Simeon smoothed his resplendent robe. "King Solomon the Wise married foreign wives to secure his kingdom."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Always as arrogant as he was obnoxious, Simeon's regard for himself had reached new heights.

Gabriel choked on his wine. "King Solomon? Are you going to compare yourself to Abraham and Moses next?"

"I won't join a harem," Lydia said softly but firmly.

Simeon exhaled exaggeratedly. "Why did the good Lord give me fools for daughters?"

Elizabeth wanted to stomp her ex-husband’s spotless robe into the mud.

The self-satisfied man merely returned to nibbling his bread, then waved the remains at them. "The prince has hundreds of wives. Most he never looks at again after the wedding night. And he will soon have five hundred more wives, chosen from among Jerusalem's finest families."

Elizabeth blinked. He couldn't be serious.

Gabriel made a face. "Pacorus won't find five families willing to give their daughters over to a heathen, even if he is a prince.

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