Anna sensed Judas bending closer. She smelled his sharp sweat. She tensed at a feeling of sudden warmth. Then relaxed when she realized its cause—the shepherd had covered her with a sheepskin.

Solomon took a deep breath, as if not wanting to disturb his friend’s thoughts. “The hour grows late,” he said. “Let us retire.”

After a moment, Anna heard the churn of footsteps.

She wanted to watch them, to make sure they would not return, but did not dare open her eyes.

In the darkness, her thoughts returned again to Judas’s words.

What journey were they planning to take? she wondered.

And, more important, whose blood had already been shed?

Anna ran her tongue across her lips. They were dry and cracked from the heat. The merest hint of saliva made them sting. They had traveled for days, stopping to rest only at night. Solomon drove the flocks hard, assuring the men that a timely arrival at Dara would bring a worthwhile reward. When the nights grew colder, the shepherds built long tents with goatskins suspended on ropes and branches.

Anna crawled quietly from her sleeping spot between Akbar and Rahim. Most of the men were still snoring. Only Peter, Judas, and Solomon had woken and gone. Not wanting to wake the others, she slipped underneath the bottom of the tent and into the blush of early morning.

The land, it seemed to her, had changed overnight. Wherever she looked grew thick green trees. Some had broad leaves like flatbreads; others had bare trunks that curved high into the sky where their heads exploded in bursts of blade-like foliage. Between the trees wriggled vines and bushes of every kind. Even the air felt alive and moist. Anna had never seen so many different types of plants. The lush and elaborate display of life astonished her.

Peter arrived with a basket of freshly picked fruit. “Finally! You are awake,” he said. “I thought you might sleep your life away.” He handed her a small golden orb. “Try one,” he said. Anna bit into the skin and a syrupy juice flowed from its pink center. Her tongue stung with flavor. Peter jostled from leg to leg. “Here,” he said, handing her three broad-faced leaves. “They are good for cleaning yourself.”

Anna took the leaves. She marveled at their size. “Where are we?” she asked, her voice croaky from lack of use.

Peter’s eyes grew wide. “So you can talk!” A bright smile slashed across his face. “We are in the oasis, outside of Dara,” he answered. “Have you never been here?” Anna shook her head. Peter’s legs squeezed shut. “I cannot wait,” he said.

Anna followed him into the bushes. Hidden from the others, they lowered themselves and lifted the bottoms of their tunics. Whenever she had to relieve herself, Anna took care to keep folds of material bunched around her middle so as not to expose her sex.