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I blinked at him, not knowing how to answer.
"We fled from Egypt," said Joshua, "with nothing but the clothes on our backs and what little goods we
could carry. Their king sent his army to find us and bring us back. Only the miracle of our Lord God
saved us and allowed us to escape. We spent years wandering in the wilderness of Sinai, willing to starve
and go thirsty in the desert rather than return to slavery. No, Orion, do not think that Egypt is civilized."
"But I must go there," I insisted.
"To find the God who in truth resides among us? Stay with us, and God will bless you."
"The god I seek is worshiped by many peoples, in many ways. To some he is the god of the sun..."
"There is only one true God," the old priest intoned. "All other gods are false."
"He told me to seek him in Egypt," I blurted, nearing exasperation.
The old priest staggered back from me. Joshua's face went white.
"God spoke to you?"
"This god did."
"In a dream?"
I raised my arm to point at the distant riverbank. "There, by the river, a few nights ago."
"Blasphemy!" hissed the old priest, pulling at his long white beard.
Joshua shook his head, an almost smugly understanding expression on his face. "It was not the God of
Israel you saw, Orion. It was a man, or a false vision."
By definition, as far as he was concerned. All very neat. I decided it was senseless to argue with them. If
they knew that the god they worshiped was the one I had promised myself to kill, they would have torn
me to pieces on the spot. Or tried to.
"Perhaps," I conceded. "Nevertheless, I must go to Egypt."
Joshua said, "That is a mistake, Orion. You will be better off staying with us."
"I can't," I said.
Joshua said nothing in reply. He merely spread his hands in a vaguely dismissive gesture. I took my leave
of him and headed back toward my own tent, my insides churning with the realization that Joshua was not
going to allow us to leave willingly.
As night spread its dark cloak over the ruin of Jericho, the men came tottering back to camp, stained
with blood and carrying the riches of the oldest city in the world. In twos and threes they made their way
back to their tents, where their women waited for them. The men were silent and grim, the memories of
their atrocities just beginning to burn themselves into their consciences. The women were silent, too,
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knowing better than to ask any questions.
Lukka brought his two dozen soldiers back in a group, each of them staggering under a load of silks,
blankets, armor, weaponry, jewels, even precious carvings of ivory and jade.
"We will enter Egypt as rich men," he said to me proudly, once the loot was arrayed at my feet by the
light of our campfire.
Softly, I said to him, "If we enter Egypt at all, it will be despite the efforts of Joshua and his people."
Lukka stared at me, his dour face half hidden in the flickering shadows thrown by the fire.
"Keep the men together, and be ready to move swiftly when I give the word," I told him.
He nodded curtly and immediately started the men packing up the loot and storing it in our wagons.
Helen was more impatient than ever to leave, and when I told her of my misgivings, she demanded,
"Then we must flee now, this night, while they are drunk with their victory and sleeping without sentries
posted."
"And what about the next morning, when they find we've left? They could easily overtake us and force
us to return."
"Lukka and his soldiers could hold them off while we escaped," she said.
"And die giving us a few hours' head start on our pursuers?" I shook my head. "We'll leave, but only
when I've convinced Joshua to let us go."
She grew angry, but realized there was no other way.
That night I slept without dreams, without visiting the realm of the Creators. But in the morning I had
formed a plan for dealing with Joshua. It was simple, perhaps even crude. I hoped it would work.
All that day was given to ceremonies of thanksgiving and atonement, the priests singing hymns of praise
to their god in melodies that sounded somehow mournful and melancholy. The people of Israel arrayed
themselves in their finest garments, many of them taken from Jericho, and gathered in ranks, tribe by
tribe, and joined in the singing. I saw that although the words of their hymns were directed at their
invisible god, their eyes were directed toward Joshua when they sang words of praise. He stood before
them, decked in a long robe of many colors, silently acknowledging their homage.
By sunset the people had split up into their tribal and family units, each gathering around their own fires,
and the singing was lighter, happier, songs of the home and the people themselves. Dancing started here
and there, men and women in separate circles, laughing and weaving around their fires as they stamped
their feet on the dusty ground.
Ben-Jameen sent a boy to invite me to his family's tent, but I politely declined, since his invitation did not
include Helen. Israelite men and women ate separately, of course, just as they danced.
I was waiting for Joshua's summons, and sure enough, as we were finishing dinner, a young man in a
newly acquired bronze cuirass approached our fire and told me that Joshua wished to have words with
me.
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I told Helen and Lukka to be ready to leave, then followed the young Israelite to his leader's tent.
Joshua's tent was crammed with the spoils of Jericho: beautiful cypress chests inlaid with bone and ivory
and packed to the brim with fine clothing, piles of draperies and blankets, tables sagging under loads of
gilded plates and goblets, intricately engraved daggers, swords and armor, enamelware, pottery and wine
jugs, heaps of jewelry and carvings.
I took it all in with one swift glance, then looked up to Joshua. He was sitting on a mound of pillows at
the far end of the tent, dressed in splendid robes like an oriental potentate. With a wave of his hand, he
dismissed the three serving girls, who ran past me on bare feet, leaving us alone in the tent.
"Take your pick," said Joshua, gesturing grandly toward the loot. "Whatever you want is yours. And
take some jewelry for your beautiful companion."
I walked past the treasures, straight to him, and sat on the carpeting at his feet.
"Joshua, I neither want nor need any of this. I want you to live up to your promise, and let us go in peace
now that we have helped you conquer Jericho."
There was no wine in sight. His hands were empty, his eyes clear. But he seemed almost drunk. Perhaps
with victory. Perhaps with visions of future conquests.
"God has placed you in my hand, Orion," he said. "It would displease Him if I let you go."
"You speak for your god now?"
His eyes narrowed angrily. But he replied mildly enough, "Our next objective will be the Amalekites.
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