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Chapter Eleven
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
(1 Chronicles 16:34)
The early morning rain had soaked Abinadi thoroughly, but he was grateful that at least Raquel had a dry place to sleep as well as privacy. He rose just before dawn, not being able to stand the wet any longer. He entered Gideon’s tent and found a dry tunic, then peeled off his wet one. A quick glance told him that the welts on his chest were nearly healed. Exiting the tent, Abinadi decided to start the morning fire. Everyone else was still asleep, but it would be nice for them to wake up to a warm meal of maize cakes. He had yet to perfect his cooking skills, but by the time they fetched his mother and Ben, he was sure his mother would be duly impressed.
Striking the chert together to start the fire, Abinadi thought about the near miss Raquel had had with King Noah’s men. If they were out to kill her, they wouldn’t give up easily. In fact, stopping to camp might have been a poor decision. They should have traveled directly to Gideon’s new homestead—a wild patch of wilderness that bordered Lamanite territory.
Abinadi lifted the waterproof skins that covered the basket of maize and the bag of maize meal. There wasn’t quite enough for everyone, so he ground more maize kernels, then added water to make a ball of dough. He slapped the rounded forms flat and set them near the fire. Just as the first cakes started to sizzle near the heat, a motion caught his attention. Raquel had stepped out of her tent. Abinadi tried not to stare. It wasn’t the gash on her head or the bulky bandages on her shoulder, rather the way her ginger hair set off her dark eyes, making her look like a wide-eyed fawn. His mother’s observation flashed through his mind: You care for her.
But I shouldn’t, Abinadi tried to tell himself as Raquel’s gaze settled on him and she smiled. Even though she’d left her family, her home, her luxuries, there was something about her that seemed unobtainable. She was someone who needed to be taken care of in the proper manner—a fine home, servants, nice clothing. None of which Abinadi could provide. It would take months just to build permanent homes at the new settlement and many people to reap profitable crops that could be traded for other goods. Until then, life there would be meager at best.
Raquel approached the fire and crouched opposite of Abinadi, extending her hands toward the warm flames.
Abinadi ignored the string of thoughts that ran through his mind. Before he knew it, he’d have their entire future planned. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Sore, but I slept well.” She stifled a yawn. “The cakes look good.”
“Anything looks good when you’re hungry,” he said with a muffled laugh.
She looked at him. “I suppose so.”
“Well, I’m sure they’re edible,” Abinadi said in a teasing voice.
Her face flushed. “Of course they are . . . I didn’t mean . . .”
“After all,” he continued, “how hard can it be to mix maize meal and water and cook it? Women do it all the time.”
Raquel’s eyes narrowed as she caught onto his teasing. “Not hard at all. It’s something even a man can do.”
He smiled and held her gaze until she looked away.
After a moment, she said, “In truth, I’m not used to men cooking for me or cooking at all. But I’m sure the cakes will taste fine.”
“Hmmm,” Abinadi said. There it was again. The difference between them. She probably had servants to do the cooking. She must be laughing at his pitiful attempt. “I can assure you that these will taste just fine.”
“I believe you,” she said in a quiet voice. “I hope you’ll be the one doing the cooking since I was banned from my mother’s cooking fire long ago.”
“Banned?” Abinadi asked.
She lowered her eyes. “Ever since I caught my best feathered cape on fire, my mother’s given me tasks that have nothing to do with heat or flame.”
“Oh, I thought . . .”
Raquel tilted her head, studying him. “I can guess what you thought, Abinadi.”
As she spoke his name, a shiver ran the length of his arms.
“And I can assure you that you thought wrong,” she continued.
He stared at her, not entirely catching her meaning.
“I’m not who you think I am. I might appear an indulged, selfish girl, but I’ve rejected that life now, although I never did care for it.” She waved a hand at their surroundings. “I like it out here, and I’ll learn how to cook if it’ll earn my keep.”
Abinadi opened his mouth to answer, but she plunged on.
“I heard the elders discussing me last night. I won’t let you or Gideon return and plead for my emancipation from the king. Even if I had his pardon and didn’t have to marry him, I still don’t want to live in the city of Nephi. My home is no longer there.” She folded her arms, her eyes dark with stubbornness. “And if you try, I’ll just leave again.”
“All right. All right,” Abinadi said, trying to keep the smile off of his face. He admired her tenacity.
“Good,” Raquel said with a firm nod. “So tell me about who lives at the settlement . . . you mentioned your brother.”
“Helam,” Abinadi said. “Although you probably won’t see him much. He keeps to himself when he’s not working or studying. When he was twelve, he was helping my father burn old crops. He was caught in a fire ring and suffered severe burns. Although my brother recovered, my father never forgave himself for not being able to prevent the injuries. And I—it took a lot of prayer to feel like I had been forgiven.”
“For what?”
“I was sick that day—I should have been there to help my brother.” Abinadi looked away as a shiver passed through him. “About a year after the accident, my father left. He never returned.”
Raquel stared at him. “It was a horrible accident. Nothing that you or your father could have prevented.”
“I know,” Abinadi said in a quiet voice.
“And your brother? He’s all right now?”
“In a sense. His skin is deformed, so he insists on covering his body. His condition doesn’t bode well for friendships or . . . marriage and children. When Noah became king, people like my brother became automatic outcasts. That’s when Helam started living in the elders’ community.”
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her eyes filled with tears. “My family is not the only one that has suffered under the king’s rule. I wish there were a way I could change what’s happened.”
On her final word, Abinadi heard something snap in the trees behind him. He lifted a finger to his lips. “Shhh!”
Her eyes widened as she held his gaze.
He pointed toward the tent, mouthing, “Get inside.”
Raquel seemed to understand the alarm in his eyes, and she rose and backed away toward her tent. But she wasn’t fast enough.
A man leapt from the trees just as Abinadi turned. He had only an instant to prepare himself for the attack. Lunging to the right, he narrowly avoided the man’s dagger. Raquel screamed.
This startled the attacker. Abinadi took the moment’s hesitation to dive for the man’s legs. The attacker’s knees buckled, and he fell forward. Quickly, Abinadi released the man’s legs and lunged again, throwing his full weight onto the man’s back. He grappled for the sword and pinned both of the attacker’s arms down.
Gideon and the other elders rushed from their tents. They immediately seized the man, who looked stunned.
As the elders tied the man’s legs and arms with a length of rope, Abinadi studied his attacker. The man was well-dressed in a tunic of fine cotton, his cape had rows of long feathers, and his long dagger had a hilt of gold. Abinadi wiped his bloody lip, feeling the throbbing tenderness. He looked at his hand. It was bleeding too. Raquel ran over to him. “Your hand!” She examined his palm. “You must have touched the obsidian on his sword.”
While Raquel went to find a binding, Gideon set in on the questioning. “Who are you? And where are you from?”
The attacker looked at them. “I’m Izehar. The king sent me.”
“You didn’t know you were outnumbered, did you?” Gideon said.
The man shook his head.
“Is there anyone else with you?” Abinadi said.
Izehar remained silent until Gideon yanked the ropes tighter. “We separated a while back.”
“And what gives us the pleasure of your presence?” Gideon asked.
The man’s eyes shifted to Raquel, who had just returned. She ignored him and crossed to Abinadi. She started wrapping his hand. When she finished, she turned to Izehar. “You can give the king a message for me—”
“Raquel,” Abinadi cut in.
But she continued. “Tell the king that the only way I’ll return to the city of Nephi is on a bier with my eyes closed in death.”
Abinadi touched Raquel’s shoulder. “I think that’s why this man is here.”
Izehar laughed. “Too late for passionate threats, woman. The king already wants you dead.” His amused eyes stayed on Raquel. “I can understand the king’s obsession with you, but it’s not enough to keep you alive.” He lowered his voice to a harsh tone. “You may think you’re free, but someone else is paying your price.”
“What do you mean?” Raquel asked.
“A boy named Benjamin. He rots in prison because he refuses to give information.” A sneer crossed his face. “You and the boy are a stubborn lot, but that won’t get you anywhere. The king has vowed to put the boy to death if you aren’t found by the new moon.”
Abinadi’s heart thumped. The new moon would rise tomorrow night. He saw Raquel clench her fists. Ben didn’t deserve to be imprisoned. He was only a boy. Then a new fear coursed through Abinadi. If they’d found Ben, what about his mother?
“We need to break camp now,” Gideon said, looking at Timon and the other elders. “Guard him while we prepare.”
Timon watched Izehar while the others struck the tents and packed belongings.
Abinadi crossed to Gideon. “We have to go back for him.”
“We will,” Gideon said. “We need to figure out what to do with Izehar first.”
Raquel came up behind them. She had her pack slung over her shoulder, a maize cake in hand. “I’m going.” Her face was pale and drawn, but her eyes determined. “It’s my fault Ben was captured. Only my return will release him.”
“No,” Abinadi said. “It will be your death.”
Raquel swallowed. “I know.” She gave him a searching look as tears brimmed her eyes.
Abinadi grabbed her arm and steered her away from Gideon and the rest of the camp. He stopped just outside the clearing, concealing them in the tangled foliage, away from anyone’s hearing. He relaxed his grip but still held onto her. She stared at him, her expression stubborn.
“You came all this way,” he said, “encountered all this danger, just to return like a lamb to the slaughter?”
She nodded, a tear rolling onto her cheek. “I must. I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t.”
“I know,” Abinadi said. He touched her chin so that she looked at him. “We’re going to put together a plan to get Ben out. But you have to leave it to me and Gideon. In the meantime, we can’t have you running back. We love Ben just as much as you do.”
Her gaze softened, and he knew she was really listening to him. “And when we return with him,” he said, “we won’t let him out of our sight again.” He smiled gently. “We’ll even fetch my mother, and she can teach you about the fine skills of cooking.”
A smile touched her lips. “I’d like that.”
“Me too,” Abinadi said, his heart thudding. Now that he had her cooperation and assurance that she wasn’t going to throw herself at the mercy of Izehar, he realized how alone they were—and how secluded.
Raquel seemed to sense it too, but she didn’t move. For a moment, they just looked at each other. She leaned toward him, their bodies a breath apart. “Be safe,” she whispered.
“I will,” he said.
“Catch him!” Gideon’s voice tore through the trees.
Abinadi turned toward the sound. Someone ran through the underbrush not far from them. Then Gideon appeared. “He escaped!”
Timon caught up. “I’ll find him.”
Abinadi looked from one to the other. “I’ll go too.”
“No,” Gideon said. “You and the others look after Raquel. Stay north until you reach the first river. I’ll meet you there.”
Abinadi hesitated for a moment. “All right.”
Gideon and Timon took off in the direction the soldier had gone. Abinadi stepped away from Raquel. “Follow me.” Together they walked into the clearing. The packing had been organized into bundles they could carry upon their backs.
Silently, the small group loaded the bundles onto their backs and started their journey.
* * *
They traveled silently through the dense foliage. Every so often, Raquel felt Abinadi’s gaze on her, and her heart soared. In the brief secluded moments they had shared, she sensed something powerful between them. Abinadi was so different from King Noah, from Eli. But it was more than that. She felt comfortable with him—safe, protected. She didn’t care that they were traveling to an unknown place with scarcely food or supplies. They’d join in growing crops with the other settlers and live off the land. If Abinadi was at her side, she knew she could be happy. As the sun dappled through the trees, Raquel wondered what Abinadi thought of her. Had he felt the same powerful feelings?
She pursed her lips together, pushing away the doubts that fringed her mind. She knew Abinadi must think she had been indulged—and she had—but she’d prove to him that she was changed and that she didn’t miss her former life. If only Ben and Esther were here, then everything would be right.
The conversation between Abinadi and the elder named Ezra floated in and out of her mind. They were talking about some things Raquel had never heard of. Resurrection. Atonement. The coming of the Lord. What did they mean? She focused on the conversation, listening carefully. They kept referring to Isaiah. Who was he?
Her curiosity kept building, and finally Raquel turned to face the men. “Please tell me who Isaiah is.”
Abinadi looked at her with surprise. “He was a great prophet. His words have been passed down on the brass plates that Father Lehi brought from Jerusalem.”
Ezra nodded and moved ahead of them.
Raquel knew of Jerusalem and how the families of Lehi and Ishmael traveled across the high seas to reach this place. “What are the brass plates?”
A smiled played on Abinadi’s face as he stepped closer to her. “Only recently have I learned the truth surrounding the brass plates.”
“Oh?” Raquel asked, very intrigued.
“Remember the cavern I found you in? The place the elders used for their meetings?”
She nodded, slowing her step to concentrate better.
“In the first years of the establishment of the city of Nephi, the prophets Nephi and Jacob built the beginnings of that cavern as a place to keep the brass plates and other items like the steel sword of Laban and the Liahona,” Abinadi said. “They have stayed safe for centuries.”
“I thought those things were only legends made up by people who followed King Zeniff. You’re saying they’re real?”
Abinadi lowered his voice. The others were ahead of them now, mostly out of hearing range. “I have seen them myself, but as an elder, I cannot reveal their new location.”
“You saw them? In the cavern?”
“I did.” He looked at her. “Those legends are true.” He took a deep breath. “Many people have believed in the wrong things for a long time. God has never changed. His plan has always been the same—centuries ago and in our time.”
She frowned. She’d overhead discussions between her father and other men about the archaic practices of their ancestors. Her father had explained more than once that the tangible gods of the earth were what should be relied upon, not some god that no one could see or hear. Water, earth, the sun . . . anyone could see those; anyone could see how much respect they deserved. The sacrifices at the temple were made to please the jaguar god and the moon goddess, Ix Chel.
But these gods didn’t grace their people with guiding commandments like Abinadi’s god did. The only one who issued commandments in the land was King Noah. “Tell me your version of Lehi’s journey,” she said.
As Abinadi spoke, Raquel remained quiet most of the time, concentrating on her footing through the undergrowth and asking a question here or there. She was amazed at the differences in the versions that she’d heard. But one thing still bothered her. “Why didn’t the Lord give Laman the call to lead from the beginning? Wouldn’t that have prevented so much hatred and fighting?”
Abinadi stopped and pushed a branch to the side, letting her pass by him. “When Laman was given jurisdiction over his group of people, they lived in such iniquity that the Spirit was taken from them. They cursed themselves because of their own failings. If Laman had been given that same leadership while the family was still together and wandering the desert, the curse would have prevented the Liahona from working, and they wouldn’t have found Bountiful or eventually arrived at the promised land.”
“Maybe Laman would have been more righteous if he didn’t feel threatened by his younger brother,” Raquel suggested, her breath coming short as they started up a hill.
“He had opportunities to prove his faithfulness over and over, but he continued to commit vile acts of near-murder, and on the ship he expressed his pagan ideas,” Abinadi continued quietly. “He wasn’t the one who prayed to the Lord to understand the things that Lehi saw in a vision.”
A shiver passed through her body. “Nephi was the one who asked?”
“When Nephi tried to explain his vision to his brothers, he told them, ‘Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.’”
“You know what Nephi actually said?”
Abinadi nodded. “I’ve read his writings.”
She stared at him. Was it true? It seemed so fantastic . . . yet so simple at the same time. “So what did his brothers do? Did they ask the Lord?”
“No,” Abinadi said. “They told Nephi that he’d spoken hard things, and those things were too much for them to bear. But they humbled themselves for a short time.”
“Yet they didn’t ask the Lord to know for themselves?” Raquel asked. “Why not?”
Abinadi slowed his step, breathing hard. The others had already reached the top of the hill and had started down the other side. “It might seem simple for others to do it, but when I prayed for the first time, it wasn’t easy.” He glanced at her. “What about yourself?”
She looked away. What about me? She’d seen Ben pray—but he was a child. “I—I wouldn’t know what to pray about. It’s not as if Nephi told me his vision or my father is Lehi.”
“Of course not,” he said in a soft voice. “But I wanted to know for myself—to know if the Lord was real. That’s why I’m here now.”
Raquel’s eyes burned. Abinadi’s words touched her to her very core. It was as if a powerful, unseen force enveloped her and made her feel warm and strong at the same time. But she couldn’t deny the inviting peace she felt around Abinadi and the elders. Was it because they believed in this specific God?
“If . . . if someone does believe, what would he or she do?” Raquel asked, stumbling on her words. “How much would they have to change?”
They reached the top of the hill, and Abinadi paused. “Some people wouldn’t have to change much. It’s really about having faith in Christ and His Atonement, then making a commitment—to live the commandments, to obey His laws, to repent and forgive others.”
Each word seemed to weigh on Raquel’s shoulders. They started down the hill as Abinadi continued to explain the commandments, repentance, forgiveness, then the law of sacrifice that would be fulfilled with the coming of the Lord. Raquel thought about each one. Could Abinadi overlook the fact that she’d dishonored her parents? But more importantly, could the Lord? She had blatantly broken that commandment. Of course she could justify it, since marrying the king wasn’t a righteous decision. Still, the thought troubled her. She resolved to ask Abinadi about this later.
When Abinadi finished his explanations, she had one more question. “What if the people don’t repent, don’t accept the Lord?”
His expression clouded for a moment. “Those who knowingly rebel against God and don’t repent will not enjoy salvation and will not be a part of the first resurrection.” He glanced over at her. “The Lord wants us to be happy. His plan allows for us to become so. We must trust in the Lord and let him inside our hearts and truly accept Him—just as He has already accepted us.”
Raquel nodded. Her heart told her he was right. But if she were to accept all of the Lord’s teachings and follow all of the commandments, would she have to return home?
Abinadi lowered his voice as they neared the others. “Raquel, knowing what kind of man the king is—a man who would imprison a small, innocent boy—you made the right decision to leave.”
She stared at him, surprised at his insight, a glimmer of hope touching her heart. “I—thank you for telling me that. I want to do the right thing. But I’m afraid the consequences might be too great . . . for Ben and for me.”
“The counsel of your parents was unrighteous,” Abinadi said. “You can still honor your parents without obeying them in this regard.”
Raquel sighed. But if she had followed her parents, none of this would be happening. And what about when Noah kissed her? That was something she could never tell anyone—it was too horrible to think about. As they continued to walk, the sounds of a river grew louder.
“We’re almost there,” Abinadi said.
The group ahead had stopped near the bank to wait for Gideon and Timon. Raquel and Abinadi joined them, and as the time slowly passed, Raquel grew more anxious. What would Abinadi and Gideon face when they returned to the city of Nephi?
When the sun sat high in the sky, they heard someone slashing through the trees. Gideon and Timon came into sight.
Abinadi rushed to them. “What happened?”
Gideon wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “Lost his trail. He’s probably made it to the city by now . . .”
Timon turned away, deep disappointment on his face.
“We can’t wait another moment,” Abinadi said.
“I know,” Gideon said. “I would have continued to the city, but I knew you’d want to come.”
“Yes,” Abinadi said. “Let’s go.”
Without another word, he and Gideon shouldered their bundles. Gideon riffled through a couple of the packs, finding clothing items and stuffing them into his bundle. As Raquel watched the preparations, panic swelled in her chest. What if they were killed? What if she never saw Abinadi again? What if it were too late for Ben?
Abinadi lifted a hand in farewell, and Raquel waved back. Their eyes locked for a moment, and she was tempted to beg him not to go. But there was no other option. One of them had to go help Ben.
Ezra stepped forward and said, “We’ll pray for your success.”
Abinadi nodded. “And I will pray for yours.”
Ezra set his mouth in a grim line. “You will find us camped a half day west of here.”
Abinadi cast one final look in Raquel’s direction. Then he and Gideon turned away.
She stood watching for a moment, wondering if the Lord would hear her if she prayed for Abinadi. Then she turned toward the others, who were already preparing to cross the river.
Raquel plunged into the meandering water with Ezra close to her, supporting her elbow. Once on the other side, she sat in the sun to dry while the men made several trips back and forth carrying supplies high above their heads so the bundles wouldn’t get wet.
Was Abinadi right about her not following her parents’ desires? If she had, Ben wouldn’t have been imprisoned. Abinadi and Gideon wouldn’t be racing back to the city—into the threat of danger. She closed her eyes as she thought about Abinadi and their stolen moment in the forest. She certainly seemed to amuse him. But beyond the teasing, she’d seen something more serious in his gaze before he left for the city. Something that made her smile.
She bit her lip and opened her eyes. It would do her no good to let her mind wander about a man such as Abinadi. If he knew about the king kissing her, Abinadi would be far from amused, and he would probably view her with disdain.
The packs were organized again, and Raquel rose from her place. She pushed Abinadi to the back of her mind. But try as she might, he resurfaced in her thoughts time and again as she followed behind the elders.
