Into the Wilderness: Blood of the Lamb (Book Two) (28 page)

Suddenly a hand dropped onto her shoulder, and she reeled around to find Lazarus propped in the doorway, a sarong wrapped clumsily around his waist.

“Go back to bed!” she hissed, seeing how he swayed. “You must rest.”

“I need fresh air,” he said. “It's like a burial cave in there.” He stepped out onto the walkway beside her. “What were you thinking about so hard?”

Maryam laughed. “You really want to know?”

“It's got to be better than lying there choking on my own bad breath.”

“Fair enough,” she conceded, “but please don't catch a chill.” She ducked back into the hut to retrieve his blanket and draped it around him.

“Thank you Mother Maryam,” he said. “Now to your thoughts.”

“All right, all right. If you must know, I was thinking about Te Matee Iai—and how the Apostles use their so-called resistance to it as proof they were chosen by the Lord.” She glanced up at him. His face gave nothing away. “Imagine what
would happen if the people learnt about the cure. Surely then they'd realise the Apostles had lied?”

“You think they'd believe it if my father told them it was merely Lucifer tempting them and playing tricks?”

“But don't you see? If the proof was right there, in front of their eyes, they'd
have
to believe. And then they could reclaim their lives—be rid of the Apostles once and for all. Set themselves free.” She felt suddenly light and buoyant.

“And how do you propose to do that? Steal more pills?” He laughed softly. “Ask the Territorials to drop them off?”

She brushed aside his mocking, intent on plucking out some sense from the bombardment of thoughts inside her head. “No. Not the pills.”
They mustn't rely on the Territorials or anybody else.
“There'd have to be a way to take the cure itself. The tree. Our climates are almost the same. I'm sure the tree would grow. Why not? With the help of all the good people we've met here—Aanjay and Jo, Charlie and Veramina, and Ruthie of course—there must be a way.”

She glanced at Lazarus, blushing as she found him looking intently at her, and quickly looked away. What of him? Was it time to put his past behind him, truly to forgive him for his sins? Nothing that went through fire was left unchanged, and he
had
survived the feverish flames of Te Matee Iai…He'd have to prove himself, though, and in return she would have to equal his efforts—give him a fair chance. But could she do so after everything he'd put her through? She wasn't sure. Perhaps the most she could offer him right now was that she'd wait and see.

Suddenly it felt as if a fog had lifted from her mind. She raised her chin and placed her feet firmly on the ground. It was
all so clear now. Such a relief to know what to do next. The death of Joseph and his wise boat-building father would not be in vain.

At last she could meet Lazarus's eye without any sense of inferiority or shame.

“It seems, Brother Lazarus, I have a plan. And I believe that, one way or another, I can make it work.” She sent him a beatific smile and let the words fall calmly off her tongue. “I'm going back.”

Especial thanks to Mohammad Yasin Hamzaie for sharing his story. Much appreciation to Rose Lawson (my first and most enthusiastic reader) and to Thom Lawson, Brian Laird, Belinda Hager, Nicky Hager, Debbie Hager, and Julia Wells for their careful reading and suggestions. Also to Jane Parkin, Jenny Hellen, and the team at Random House NZ; Lou Anders and his team at Pyr; Joe Monti from the Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency for believing in me and making this possible; and last, but by no means least, my love and thanks to all my family and friends who, through their generosity and love, make living in this crazy world worthwhile.

MANDY HAGER is an award-winning writer and educator based in Wellington, New Zealand. She has a drive to tell stories that matter—direct, powerful stories with something to say. She won the 2010 New Zealand Post Children's Book Award for Young Adult Fiction for
The Crossing
. Visit her online at
www.mandyhager.com
, at
www.facebook.com/BloodOfTheLambTrilogy
, and on Twitter
@MandyHager
.