He Was Hers to Command
Swept away from her home and into the desert, Abigail is as much a prisoner as she is a princess. A ruthlessly ambitious captain of the palace guard intends to force her into marriage and rule Judah through her. Yet the badly beaten soldier Abigail rescues offers another choiceâif she dares trust him.
She is royalty, yet Jesse is surprised by the gentle compassion Abigail shows him as he heals. In return, he will help her escape to Jerusalem, protecting her life with his own. But Abigailâs rank and Jesseâs deadly past makes any future impossible, unless forgiveness forged by love can triumph over all.
âI fear our journey will not be easy for you.â
Many of his wounds, were superficial. The chamomile heâd drank, along with the honey slathered over his wounds, had eased the pain and would bring swift healing. If it werenât for his ribs poking his innards, heâd have no trouble moving. However, Jesse was not about to inform Abigail, lest she change her mind. âI will manage. As I told you before, youâd be surprised at what a man can endure when he wishes to live.â
Her brow puckered, leaving a little crease above the arch of her nose. âWhy is that?â
âI believe God gives man courage and strength.â
She shook her head. Her tresses waved down her back. âWhy do you wish to live?â
âThat is an easy question to answer.â
Her chin tilted at an angle, she leaned forward. âWhat is it?â
He smiled. âSomeone must convince you of your beauty since itâs obvious you do not believe it yourself.â
CHRISTINA RICH
is a full-time housewife and mother. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and four children. She loves Jesus, history, researching her ancestry, fishing, reading and of course, writing romances woven with Godâs grace, mercy and truth.
You can find more about her at www.authorchristinarich.com.
It is of the Lordâs mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
âLamentations 3:22â24
Chapter One
Judah
Circa 835 BC
The sound of horsesâ hooves thundered into camp. Abigailâs pulse hammered in her chest at the commotion outside her tent. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and paced. Had the warrior priests who had attacked the palace and killed her mother found them?
âWhat is happening, Bilhah?â
Her cousin sat on a pile of furs, her knees drawn to her chest. Black kohl trailed down her cheeks. Abigail knelt in front of her and tried to imitate the strength she had seen her mother exude. âBilhah, now is not the time for weakness. What if we must make haste?â
Soulless amber eyes stared at her. âThere will be no mercy.â
A chorused bellow startled Abigail, sending a tremor racing through her blood, until she realized what sheâd heard had been a cheer of victory among her men. Uncertain of her new role as future queen, she forced a smile and rose. âOf course, there will be none. Jehoiada and the usurpers will pay for killing my mother.â She inhaled a shaky breath. âAnd my brothers all those years ago.â
Bilhahâs brow furrowed as if she was confused. Many such looks had tainted her cousinâs beautiful face since their flight from the palace and Jerusalem. She tilted her head and scanned Abigail from head to toe. âYou misunderstand me, Abigail. The God of the priests, the God of our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, will not grant us mercy, not if we continue in our rebellion.â
The hot desert wind rippled the canvas around them. Gooseflesh rose on Abigailâs arms and she hugged herself to ward off the omen. Sheâd heard the servants speak of a god greater than the ones her mother had worshipped, but sheâd yet to see him with her own eyes, as sheâd seen the wooden and bronze statues in the courtyard outside the palace. âYouâve had a great shock, Bilhah. You do not know what you speak.â
âIf they did not spare your mother, the Queen of Judah, they will not spare us, Abigail.â Bilhahâs shoulders sagged as she pressed her face into her hands. Abigail swallowed her fear as the memory of the frantic cries of the servants assaulted her. It was the one time she had willingly crawled into the wooden chest in order to hide from the warrior priests.
It was no wonder the confident, alluring woman who prowled the palace at will crumpled into another round of sobs. The change in her cousinâs behavior since the priests and temple guards had stormed the palace was disconcerting. Abigail was having a difficult time being cast from her home, too. However, if she hadnât been forced to abide by Captain Suphâs demands, Abigail thought she might actually enjoy her freedom from the palace.