Into the Wilderness: Blood of the Lamb (Book Two) by Mandy Hager Read Free Book Online

the deck and ducked into the shelter, where Joseph lay sprawled across the bedding, his face flushed and his breathing thick and laboured in the stifling heat. She shook him by the shoulder.
    â€œJoseph! Wake up! We think we might have sight of land!”
    His eyes shot open but took a moment to focus on her face. “What?”
    â€œLand!” she repeated. “Come take a look.”
    He stirred himself, reaching for the map as he followed her outside.
    She pointed to the mysterious lump on the horizon. “See? Right there!”
    He cupped his hand over his eyes, peering intently into the distance before turning his attention to the map. “It has to be Marawa Island,” he agreed. “There's nothing else even remotely near us.”
    â€œPraise the Lord!” Ruth cried, her anxiety extinguished by the joy that swept the group.
    â€œWe'll need to sail harder on to the wind if we're to reach it before nightfall,” Lazarus said.
    Maryam knew he was right, but even now could not bring herself to acknowledge him. Instead she turned to Joseph. “How long, do you reckon, until we're there?”
    Joseph shrugged. “Hard to tell. But we'll need to leave at least an hour of light to find a safe way through the reef.”
    â€œAnd if we don't?”
    â€œThen we'll have to circle it all night, well out at sea, and wait till morning.”
    â€œYou're joking,” Ruth wailed. “You mean we'd have to wait all night?”
    â€œIf you want to reach land safely, we really have no other choice.”
    â€œIn that case, let's get moving,” Maryam said, looking up to check the position of the sun. “I figure we have about seven hours of good light.” She studied Joseph, who still looked flushed. “I'll make some lunch, then let's see if we can move this boat more quickly.”
    He grinned at her. “All right. You're on!”
    Never was a meal prepared and eaten in such haste. It was as if they'd been infested by a swarm of ngongo bugs, the itch to reach land so great that sitting still was all but impossible. The race was on as soon as they had swallowed their last mouthfuls of the stale bread.
    Joseph, Lazarus and Ruth took charge of the ropes, while Maryam swung the tiller in an endless cycle of hard tacks. Their concentration was palpable; no one spoke bar the odd curt call for help. After an hour the heat and sustained effort began to sap their enthusiasm, and still the island remained a teasing shadow at the far edge of their world. But they slogged on, breaking only for much-needed water, and by the passing of the second hour the island was clearly outlined against the sky.
    â€œHave you thought about our tactics once we land the boat?” Maryam asked Joseph during a brief break for water rations. Now that the island lay before them, thoughts of their likely reception weighed heavily upon her. What if the peopleof Marawa were hostile to strangers? What on earth would they do then?
    â€œI'm sure when they've heard our plight they'll take us in.”
    â€œYou're assuming they'll understand what we're saying,” Lazarus chipped in. “You said that they turned away the missionaries—what if they can't understand a word we say?”
    â€œThat's where I'm counting on Maryam and Ruth to help. My father was convinced that all the islands once shared the same far-distant ancestors, so hopefully they'll recognise some of Onewēre's words.”
    â€œBut I can hardly remember how to speak it,” Ruth said. “Blessed Sisters are forced to speak English once we're taken at the Judgement.”
    â€œI can understand our language when it's spoken, but I'm not sure I can string whole sentences together and make sense,” Maryam added. “What if we say something wrong?”
    Joseph gestured helplessly. “I have no idea,” he said, frustration clipping off his words. “I never said it would be easy.”
    Maryam