The Incense Road by Tracy Higley

Author:Tracy Higley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: StoneWater Press

Chapter Ten

MISHA

The sun was past its zenith by the time the scouts finally left to report to Reza and Zahir. Misha shook his head when they motioned for him to join him, then climbed upward to a perch on the highest hillside of Bethel. The three tunic-disguised soldiers crept from the town assuming they were unseen, but they were clearly visible from the hillside. Did the shepherds who roamed the hill also watch their departure?

Misha turned from the scattered homes of the village to scan the flat pasture atop his hill. Knee-high grasses, copper-colored and crackling dry, swayed in the fresh breeze against an azure sky and the far-off bleating of sheep carried to where he stood, hands on his hips as he studied the landscape.

It had to be the High Place where Jeroboam had set up his altar. A tiny thrill ran through him, that familiar excitement of figuring out the unknown.

But who could say whose altar was the one he sought? Abraham had met with his God here and built an altar to mark the place. His grandson Jacob, in his flight from his angry twin Esau, had seen a vision of angels descending from heaven here and had also built an altar, naming the place Beth-El, “House of God.” Clearly the spot was a center of power, as Kamillah would say, and no wonder that when Jeroboam decided to set up his alternative places of worship, he chose this spot at the southernmost part of his ten-tribe kingdom.

Perhaps it was Abraham’s altar, or Jacob’s, or even Jeroboam’s that held the third piece. Or perhaps somehow all three were one and the same. But here on the hillside that stretched toward the horizon in three directions, no altars could be seen.

He started walking, hand shielding his eyes from the lowering sun.

Zahir would want to send soldiers to scour the village and hillside, with little regard for the people. If Misha could locate the piece first, before Zahir exerted force, it would be better for everyone. Zahir believed that wholesale destruction of anyone in his way was the best manner of handling inconveniences.

Not to mention that Misha would then have all three pieces and be ready for the next part of his plan. To Nisa and Mother. And to help Reza, even if his closest friend had ceased to trust him.

A knot of anger twisted around the lighter spirit of the hunt. If Reza didn’t trust him, believe him capable of handing the Nehushtan over to Phraates to win Kamillah, then why should he remain loyal to the man? Why not do what he expected and gain Phraates’s favor and Kamillah in one swoop?

Ahead, a cluster of shepherds came into focus, their white-and-black flock scattered among shorter, greener grasses. They were on alert long before Misha was within range of speaking to them.

“Greetings.” Misha held up a palm, tried to look harmless.

Three of them had spread out among the flock as he approached. None returned his salutation. Eyes wary and mouths tight, they watched him stroll across the pasture.

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