My Enemy, My Love (Truly Yours Digital Editions) Read online

  Barak glared at her in impotent fury. He remembered Saul. He remembered when a man named Stephen had been stoned for blasphemy for trying to spread such a cult. Anna deserved the same thing, and it could happen to her as well as any other. His blood went cold at the thought.

  “Saul was run out of Jerusalem just a few years ago, and you expect me to accept that there are Jews who believe what he said?”

  “Christians are persecuted everywhere. Jesus warned us that this would be so.”

  Her tears were his undoing. Without stopping to consider the consequences, he pulled her close, sighing heavily. “Oh, Anna. Anna. How can you believe such a thing? You are intelligent beyond most women. If you know so much of the Scriptures, how can you let yourself be persuaded by such teachings?”

  She pulled back from him, the tears running freely down her face. “Oh, Barak. Why can’t you see?” She closed her eyes. “Please, Lord, don’t let him harden his heart.”

  Anna didn’t care if he heard her prayer or not, she was desperate to make him understand.

  His large hands came up to frame her face, and he brought his own within inches of hers. His eyes glittered with some unnamed emotion. “I don’t want to love you,” he told her fiercely. “I can’t love you.”

  His lips closed over hers and Anna clung to him. When Anna’s arms slid round his waist, he jerked away, dropping his hands to his sides and slowly backing away from her. There was a strange yearning in his eyes that Anna’s heart responded to. Pivoting on his heels, he left her standing there as he retraced their path.

  She watched his back disappear from sight. Dropping to her knees, she began to cry.

  ❧

  Barak strode down the hill not once looking back. His thoughts and emotions were waging war within his mind and his heart.

  Search the Scriptures! As though she could teach him anything about them. He had been raised on the Scriptures from birth.

  Hands clenching into fists at his side, his spirit continued its battle.

  Even if he could believe, there was no future for him in it. Like many, he would lose everything if he embraced such a philosophy. His mother. His uncle. Adonijah. Miriam. A sudden smile tilted his lips. Well, maybe not everything would be so bad.

  He hadn’t reached the first mile marker before remorse began to overcome him. He should never have left her alone. Anything could happen to her, even that close to her home. Especially that close to her home.

  He stopped in his tracks. Amman was in Sychar, and there was no telling how many people he might have working for him. They might get to Anna before she could get to her father.

  He had made a promise to God that he would deliver the girl safely into her father’s care or die trying. His own emotions had gotten in the way and now he had broken that vow. Full of regret, he turned quickly and headed back.

  The more he thought of Anna’s danger, the quicker his steps, until he rounded a corner and came upon three men. They were close to his own age, and they were obviously headed for the olive groves. The tools used to trim the trees dangled languidly from their fingers. Until they noticed Barak.

  An instant change came over the three men, and Barak knew he was in serious trouble. It was almost impossible to tell a Samaritan from any other unless you were in the country itself, but everyone knew the mark of a Jew. The patterns used in their cloth proclaimed their Hebrew heritage, as did Barak’s overcoat.

  Slowly, the three moved to encircle Barak.

  “You’re a Jew.”

  He was the larger of the three and the obvious leader. He almost spat the words as he hurled an insult.

  Barak grew strangely calm, his adrenaline beginning to pump through his veins in an ever-quickening movement. He could either run or fight, and he had not been taught to do the former.

  “I know who I am. Who are you?”

  The leader moved closer. “I’m one of those Samaritan dogs you despise so much. What brings you to our distasteful part of the country, not that it makes any difference?”

  Barak’s eyes went from one to the other, assessing. Although he was broad and muscular from working in the fields, the same could also be said of these three. They were fine specimens of manhood, even if they were Samaritans.

  “I am here on business,” he told them, the tone of his voice letting them know that he would divulge no more.

  These three were aching for a fight, and at any other time Barak would have been willing to oblige. But not now. He needed to get back to Anna.

  “Your business will have to wait. You have business with us instead.”

  “I am not looking for a fight.”

  Another man snickered. “Well, we are.”

  The third man glared at Barak. “Let’s rid the earth of one more foul Jew. The less of them, the safer our people will be.”

  “I have heard that Samaritans were cowards who attacked the unsuspecting. It would seem I heard correctly.”

  Even from a distance Barak could hear the leader’s breathing increase, and he realized his rash words had doomed him to a battle, and there was no way he could win. He was outnumbered, for one thing. When he saw one man reach for a rock, he knew he was outweaponed, also. He only had time to duck the rock before the three were upon him.

  Barak fought valiantly, but when a huge rock connected with his head, he went down. Stars swam in circles before his eyes momentarily.

  Jehovah, help me!

  Darkness closed in, mercifully bringing unconsciousness.

  ❧

  How long Anna knelt there she had no idea. Mixed with her tears were fervent prayers. There were no words in her mind, only thoughts and feelings, but she knew God would understand.

  She climbed wearily to her feet. Barak had left her. At first she couldn’t believe it, but then she realized it was true. He wasn’t coming back.

  His passionate declaration had left her shaken. Vulnerable. He was fighting his feelings for her as much as she was fighting hers for him.

  No. That wasn’t true either, because in all honesty, Anna knew she hadn’t fought very hard at all.

  She turned to head for home, but something stopped her. She should go after Barak and tell him of her feelings.

  Shaking her head, she started on. What good would that do? It would only serve to destroy her pride, of which at the moment she had very little left.

  A small voice seemed to whisper in her mind. Pride goes before destruction.

  An odd premonition sent a shiver of chills throughout her entire being. She stopped, wrapping her arms around herself and shaking with some unknown dread.

  A moment more and she was hurrying after Barak. In her mind she believed herself foolish for her flight of fancy, but her heart drove her on. She had to be sure.

  The farther down the road she went, the more she became convinced she was being ridiculous in her thinking. Her feet began to ache as her sandals rubbed against the partially healed sores.

  For the first time in days she gave no thought to her own predicament. Lord, I know You’ll protect me. Please, protect Barak, too.

  She was almost a mile from the path that led to her village when she slowed, her breath coming in hurried gasps. She could see far ahead down the road, and there was no sign of Barak. His rapid stride would have taken him much farther, and she had no hope of catching him.

  It had been absurd to think that he needed her. Probably her own foolish longings had inspired her thinking in such a rash way.

  Stopping to catch her breath, Anna moved to the side of the road and sat gingerly on a large rock. Lifting one foot, she noticed that the sores were open and bleeding again. Sighing, she dropped her foot, her gaze once more lifting to the azure sky.

  Help me Lord to know Your will. Help me to die to myself and live only for You. I love You, Yahweh.

  Anna looked about on the land of her birth, the land that she loved. She knew in her heart that she would give it up in an instant to follow the man that she now knew she loved. But
not without the Christ. Never without her Lord.

  How was it possible for love to come so quickly? Were her feelings mere infatuation with a strong, handsome man who had shown her the attention she had never received before? She shook her head. It couldn’t be. These feelings had drawn her to him before she had ever met him. She had seen him in the Temple courtyard, and suddenly her world had changed.

  All of a sudden, she felt an affinity for the Jacob her well was named for. He had loved Rachel on sight, too. Their situation was much different than hers, however.

  Her melancholy thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt by a piece of material caught on a bush across from her. Getting swiftly to her feet, she went and lifted it from the branch, recognizing the pattern from Barak’s coat.

  So, he had come this way. But how long ago? She lifted a hand to block the sun shining in her eyes. For as far as the eye could see, there was no one in sight. Nothing seemed to be moving.

  It was only as her eyes dropped to the ground that she noticed the bare foot peeking out from behind the bushes.

  Gasping, she pushed her way through the brush, ignoring the barbs tearing at her own dress. What she saw made her draw back in horror.

  Pressing the back of her hand against her mouth, Anna stifled a cry. A man lay covered in blood from head to foot. His clothes hung tattered against his body.

  She could see now where he had been drug from the road and dumped in the bushes to die.

  Almost afraid, but determined to know, she knelt beside him and gently turned him over. A small cry escaped her.

  “Barak!”

  She felt for a pulse and found it weakly beating. “Lord,” she begged. “Don’t let him die!”

  Bruises covered his body and a large gash at the side of his head continued to bleed. Tearing off her belt, she wound it around his head to stem the flow of blood.

  She had to get help, but she didn’t want to leave him. She struggled with indecision.

  “Oh, what do I do?”

  Realizing that he was well hidden from any others passing that way, she made her decision and got quickly to her feet.

  “I’ll be back,” she told him, knowing that he couldn’t hear her. The promise was more for herself than for him.

  Anna ran back the way she came until she found the house where the children still played outside. They drew back from her as she approached, for truly she looked demented and her tunic was splotched with blood.

  Taking a calming breath, she held her hand out slowly. “Shimei, it’s Anna.”

  The young boy’s mouth dropped open, his eyes widening. His little sister pulled close against his side.

  “Shimei, I need help. Would you please go for my father? Tell him that Anna needs him.”

  Nodding, the boy turned to obey.

  “Wait.” He turned back to her. “Tell only my father, no one else. Understand?”

  He nodded again.

  “Hurry then. I will be about a mile back down the road.”

  Anna waited to see the boy on his way before turning to his sister.

  “Sarah, go and tell your mother that Shimei is giving a message to my father. Okay?”

  “Okay, Anna.” The little girl hurried inside to deliver her message, and Anna flew back the way she had come. She prayed the whole way, petitioning the Lord on Barak’s behalf and pleading that her father would be home to receive the message.

  She found the spot easily and bent once again over Barak. His stillness frightened her. Her hands floated over him like a butterfly reluctant to settle. There was hardly a place on his body that was not marked in some way.

  Who could have done this to him? She remembered the purse of money that Bithnia had given him. In his anger he had forgotten to give it to her.

  She searched and found the purse still intact. Puzzled, she tried to fathom the reason for such an attack if not for robbery.

  Snatches of conversation between her father and others came back to her now. Enmity between the Samaritans and Jews was escalating. Only a few months ago, some Samaritans had killed a party of Jews on their way to Jerusalem.

  “Jesus,” she pled. “Help me to show them Your love. Let the fighting stop.”

  In what could only have been a short time, but had seemed an eternity, Anna could hear horses galloping toward her. She lifted herself from her position on the ground and stood waiting until her father came into sight, followed by several other men on horses.

  Anna recognized some of her father’s servants, and Amman was with them. His eyes met Anna’s, and she realized that in that instant he knew that she knew everything. She could see his fear, but she had no thoughts for him just now. She would handle that situation later.

  Tirinus threw himself from his horse, wrapping his arms tightly around his daughter.

  “Anna! Can it be?” He pulled back and looked into her face, framing it with his beefy palms. “I received a message from your aunt only hours ago that you had been abducted and were being held for ransom.” He frowned. “Is your aunt playing some kind of sick jest?”

  Anna pulled from his arms. “I’ll explain later. Right now Barak needs help.”

  “Barak?”

  He followed her to the bushes, sucking in breath at the sight of the bloodied young man. “Dear Jehovah.”

  In moments Tirinus had everyone organized. He had a cart brought from the town, and they lifted Barak gently into it. Anna refused to leave his side.

  Tirinus’s eyebrows lifted in question, his glance meeting Amman’s. The Arab shrugged, his eyes narrowing as he watched Anna gently stroke the dark hair back from Barak’s bloodied forehead.

  When they returned to her father’s villa, Anna helped the men take Barak to one of the guest rooms. She turned to the nearest servant.

  “Ajah, go for the healer. Quickly.”

  Tirinus came to stand beside her. “Now suppose you tell me what this is all about. How do you come to be here with this young man when I left you, I thought, safely in Jerusalem?”

  Anna turned blazing eyes to her father. “It’s Amman’s doing. He wanted your money now, not in a year. If he couldn’t have it one way, he would get it another.”

  Tirinus’s eyes narrowed. “What are you saying? Amman has been as worried about you as I. We were getting ready to come to Jerusalem when Shimei came tearing to the door.”

  Rising to her feet, Anna laid her hand on her father’s forearm. “Father, Amman arranged for me to be abducted and held for ransom. He is a ruthless man. If not for Barak, I would be only God knows where.” Her eyes softened when she looked at the young man lying on the bed. “The Lord sent him to me when I needed someone most.”

  Tirinus lifted a skeptical brow. “He doesn’t look much like an angel.”

  “He does to me.”

  Her voice was so tender, Tirinus jerked his look back to her. Anna was kneeling next to the bed, carefully washing blood from Barak’s face.

  Anna could feel her father’s rage mounting as he watched her, but she was uncertain of its intended victim until he bellowed for one of his most trusted bodyguards.

  Emnon was a giant of a man, a Philistine her father had hired many years ago. His look went from daughter to father.

  “Bring me Amman.”

  The fire in Tirinus’s eyes provoked a response in his servant. Bowing, he left to do as he was bid.

  “Anna, are you certain about this?”

  There was no questioning the sincerity of the eyes she turned his way. “I am positive, Father.”

  Tirinus shook his head. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t Bithnia tell me?”

  “When she sent the message, she didn’t know. Micah was in on it, too.”

  Dropping to a seat behind him, Tirinus could only stare uncomprehendingly. “Not Micah.”

  “I know, Father,” she told him softly. “I felt the same.”

  Tirinus’s eyes went to Barak. “And how does he enter into this?”

  “It’s a long story.”

/>   The look he fixed on his daughter made her swallow hard. “I have plenty of time,” he told her.

  Anna began at the beginning, leaving out only the kisses she had shared with Barak and the strange attraction they seemed to feel for each other.

  Her father listened intently, his face going white, his eyes growing colder as the story progressed. Fearing for his health, she tried to minimize much of what had happened, but she knew he could tell more from what she didn’t say than from what she did.

  She was unaware of what she told her father merely by the looks she bestowed on the young Jew. He frowned.

  Tirinus wondered why a Jew would go to so much effort for a Samaritan. Troubled, he studied the young man. That his daughter had fixed her affections on him was beyond doubt.

  And what of Amman? His eyes darkened in anger. If what Anna had said was true, and he had no reason to doubt her, on his life he would see the Arab stoned to death.

  The healer came soft footed into the room. His dark eyes took in the scene as he moved across the room to the still figure on the bed.

  Anna got up to allow him better access, but she didn’t stray far from Barak’s side.

  After a moment, Tirinus asked him, “How is he, Sibbecai. Will he live?”

  Sibbecai lifted himself from his inspection of the inert figure. “He has lost a lot of blood. Many people die from less injuries than he has, but then I have also seen others more serious who survive.” He crossed to Tirinus, wiping the blood from his hands on the towel the servant provided. “Still, he is strong.”

  Anna agreed, and to see such strength diminished brought tears to her eyes. She reclaimed her position by the bed.

  Sibbecai began mixing a potion, which he then brought to Anna. “See if you can get some down his throat. Not too much, or he might choke.”

  “What’s it for?”

  “It will help to keep fever away.” He then began mixing together some ingredients to make a salve for Barak’s wounds. “After the wounds have been cleaned, put this on them. It will stop the flow of blood and help to stay infection.”

  Anna took it from him, adding her thanks.

  “I will return tomorrow if you need me. There’s not much I can do. It’s up to this young man, now.”