Recap: In the present-day part of Daniel’s story, someone comes to the door during the Friday night Shabbos meal and announces that Jewish students and teachers are being held hostage in the university library. Daniel is worried about his father.
Recap: In Ava’s story, Ava is riding through the night to warn Galla’s family about the King of Arabia. She gets caught in a lightning storm that ignites the trees, leaving her surrounded by fire.
Crackling flames devoured trees and grass. Branches snapped. My cheeks burned.
I had to get away from this fire. I had to get to Galla’s family. “Hashem, please help me. I can’t get through this.”
I coughed and coughed. Smoke filled the air. My horse whinnied and backed away. Smoke was choking me.
I gazed around. How could we get away from here?
I cried out to Hashem. “Please save me. I don’t know what to do. I have to go to warn my relatives. Please.”
As I moved my horse forward, I felt like someone was guiding me to a smoke-free spot. It was as my aunt always said: I felt that Hashem was my shadow.
Somehow, my horse moved toward a spot in the woods with no flames, and we galloped through as fast as we could. The corner of my robe was singed.
I took a deep breath to clear my lungs, and on we moved. I felt as if the horse and I had become one. Hashem was helping me through this.
We sped down the trail until I saw the Nori mansion in the distance.
I finally pulled up to the house and dismounted. I must be a mess – singed robe, hair flying everywhere. No time for vanity now. I knocked hard.
There was no answer.
I knocked harder.
Still no answer.
Again, I knocked.
Finally, a servant shuffled to the door. He was yawning.
“It’s the middle of the night, Miss.”
“It’s an emergency! Please, I must speak to Nazanin and Omer immediately.”
“They are sleeping now. Come back in the morning.”
“It’s a matter of life and death. I’ve ridden all the way from the palace.”
“The palace?”
“I’m Princess Ava.”
The servant stood at attention and bowed. “Sorry, Miss.”
“Please, it’s urgent. Wake them and tell them I’m here with an urgent message. There is grave danger!”
The servant hurried away.
I sank down on the nearest silk-covered chair.
I still couldn’t believe this was happening. Thank You, Hashem, that I made it here.
A short while later, Nazanin stepped into the room. She wore a gold-woven night robe, and her hair was covered with a gold kerchief.
“Why are you here in the middle of the night?” she asked.
I stood and curtseyed. “Queen Annabelle sent me to save your lives.”
Nazanin laughed a short, jeering laugh. “What is the meaning of this?”
“A servant told us he heard in an inn that the King of Arabia is riding toward Aurora now. He plans to capture the palace and anyone who stayed as our guests recently. You must come with us. We’re planning to escape to Jerusalem. We’ll go to Aunt Helena and—”
Nazanin laughed again. “We are not your guests now. We never supported this Jewish thing. We have nothing to worry about.”
“But the king said—”
Omer strode over, next to his wife. He wore a gold silk night robe. “This is not our problem. We made a proclamation against the Jews. We have no worries.”
“Please, we don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Just then, Galla stepped into the room. Her large dog trotted beside her. “What’s going on? Ava, why are you here?” Galla’s long brown hair was tied back in two braids, and she wore a light green nightdress.
“Nothing to concern you, dear,” Omer said. “Ava came to warn us that the King of Arabia is heading to attack the palace. Thankfully, to our gods, we left when we did. We have no worry now.”
The message the servant gave me was clear, but somehow, I couldn’t communicate it to them.
I bowed and tried to convey the urgent message again. “Please, Cousin, the threat was concerning anyone who stayed with us as well.”
“We have nothing to worry about,” Omer repeated. “I am going back to bed.”
He turned and left the room.
Galla also turned away and left. Her giant dog followed her, its claws clicking on the marble floor.
My stomach knotted. Why wouldn’t they listen? They were in grave danger. My harrowing ride had accomplished nothing. My whole long ride was for nothing. They weren’t going to leave. “Please, Hashem, help me convince them!”
I was alone with Nazanin.
“Please. Aunt Annabelle wanted you to be safe.”
Nazanin put her head in her hands. Tendrils of her golden hair escaped her braided chignon.
There was a long silence, and then she looked up at me. Tears streaked her cheeks.
“There is something I think you must know. Did Annabelle tell you the secret?”
To be continued…
Susie Garber is the author of a newly released historical fiction novel, Captured (Menucha Publishers, 2025), as well as historical fiction novels Please Be Patient (Menucha, 2024), Flight of the Doves (Menucha, 2023), Please Be Polite (Menucha, 2022), A Bridge in Time (Menucha, 2021), Secrets in Disguise (Menucha, 2020), Denver Dreams, a novel (Jerusalem Publications, 2009), Memorable Characters…Magnificent Stories (Scholastic, 2002), Befriend (Menucha, 2013), The Road Less Traveled (Feldheim, 2015), fiction serials, and features in Binah Magazine and Binyan Magazine, and “Moon Song” in Binyan (2021–2022) and Alaskan Gold (2023–2024).
