Free Into the Wilderness: Blood of the Lamb (Book Two) by Mandy Hager

asked.
    â€œIt seems he doesn't know Uncle Joshua threatened my father with death should he remain in the Holy City or try to interfere in any way.” Joseph slapped his hands against his hips as though to punctuate the end of the conversation before he rose. “I think it's time we all turned in.”
    â€œBut I don't understand,” Maryam said. “Both you and your mother told me your family left the Holy City by choice.”
    â€œThat's true as well. The path that Uncle Joshua was taking made them sick to their stomachs—but Uncle's threat left them with no other option.”
    â€œWhy have you never told me this before?”
    â€œThe threat extended to never speaking of it. It was not safe to mention until now.”
    â€œBut—” Surely Joseph's father did not believe his brother really would have him killed? What of family bonds? Then she remembered her betrayal at her own father's hands. Family bonds did not always guarantee safety after all.
    â€œEnough now,” he cut in. “Stirring it up again will do nogood. He's my cousin and we're stuck together, good or bad.” He began to collect more driftwood to feed the fire through the night. “I'll sleep here to tend the fire. If anything is roaming round, the flames should hold it well at bay.”
    His tone discouraged any further comment, leaving Maryam no choice but to retreat with Ruth to the refuge of the boat. There they curled up on the sleeping mats, trying to ignore the way the craft tilted back towards the sea. After three nights rocked to sleep by the motion of the waves, they found it hard now to relax, with every tiny sound loud in their ears. By the time Ruth had finished her prayers, Maryam knew she wouldn't sleep. She just could not get comfortable. Her tailbone was too bruised to lie on, and her stomach still tender from her flight into the boat's side rail. Besides, she had much to think on. She waited until Ruth's breath had slowed and evened out before creeping from the boat.
    Joseph lay by the fire, his eyes shut tight. His capacity to shake off his uncle's threat against his family amazed her—she was certain she did not have it in her to let such a long-term grievance go. Her father's rejection of her still swelled inside her like a boil needing to be lanced. This was what she loved about Joseph: the open warmth and generosity of his heart, so unlike her own. Loved? No, put that foolish thought away.
    She passed him by and made her way down to the sea. The tideline was alive with teams of questing crabs, reminders of that fateful night, weeks ago, the evening before she Crossed. She remembered how she'd felt back then, standing with her toes bared to the warm lapping tide as she stared out at the magical lights of the Holy City—the great fortress called Star of the Sea . How excited she had been. How filled with awe. Ifshe'd known back then what was to befall her, would she have gone so passively the next morning? She sighed. Perhaps. The teachings of the Holy Book and the Rules were hard to spurn.
    And now here she was again, seeking the constancy of the tide to calm her in the face of more uncertainty. For a moment she envied the crabs, hidden safely in their hard protective shells, able to bury themselves beneath the sand as daylight neared. If only she was half as brave as Joseph thought.
    Under the cover of darkness, Maryam shed her clothes and waded into the water up to her thighs. She twisted her thick plait of hair around her hand and tied it into a high knot atop her head, then sank down into the tepid sea until it cradled her in its buoyant arms. She did not venture any deeper, mindful of unseen predators, and rested her knuckles on the grainy sand to resist the gentle tugging of the tide. At first the salt stung her elbows but she knew that it would do them good. And it eased her strained muscles and bruises almost as much as it calmed her troubled mind. She looked up to the