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a reality. If not for the gold that had been given to her and had helped to pave an easier path, she might have thought she had dreamed that former life.
    The water wasn’t plentiful enough to fully bathe, but she relished the feeling of the cool night air touching her exposed wet skin. If only she had a way to wash her tunic. She felt so dirty, especially beside Andronicus. How did the man remain so clean amid all this dirt?
    And her hair. How long had it been since it had seen a good washing? Leaning farther out into the water, she was able to duck her hair below the surface enough to get it thoroughly wet. She scrubbed at her scalp, doing the best she could with nothing to clean it with. Beggars couldn’t be choosers and this would just have to do.
    Andronicus’s voice came to her from the darkness.
    “We need to go back now, Tapat.”
    She wrung the water from her hair. It might not be completely clean, but it felt much better.
    “Coming.”
    She finished her ablutions and hurriedly made her way back to Andronicus’s side. His glance passed quickly over her, and his lips tugged up into a smile.
    “Feel better?”
    She returned his smile. “Much.”
    He lightly gripped her arm and headed them back to the camp. She tried hard not to notice the looks of the men as they passed through the camp, but she couldn’t help but register their astonished expressions. She sighed inwardly. She could hardly blame them. She must look like something that a dog had dragged through the streets.
    When they reached Andronicus’s tent she was surprised to find that a meal was waiting. A thick rug had been laid on the floor with food set out on plates in its center. She hesitated, glancing quickly at Andronicus. He motioned to the rug.
    “Have a seat.”
    She seated herself cross-legged on the rug and Andronicus took his place across from her. She studied the food and then gave Andronicus a speaking look that he obviously read very well.
    “No, soldiers do not always eat this well. The extra rations are because of Titus, the emperor’s son.”
    Whatever the reason, the food made her mouth water. Bowing her head, she gave thanks to Elohim for the bounty and for His care. When she opened her eyes, Andronicus was watching her.
    “Tell me about this God you serve,” he demanded softly. He handed her a platter, allowing her to choose her own food.
    She began filling her plate, trying to decide the best way to begin. How did one describe the Creator of the universe in just a few sentences?
    “What exactly do you want to know?”
    Andronicus filled his own plate and shrugged. “I don’t know. What makes you so certain that your God is the only god there is? For that matter, what makes you believe there even is a God?”
    Tapat frowned, thinking carefully before reaching for the subject he would most likely respect.
    “Your gods, and those of other heathen nations, cause chaos among themselves and the people who serve them. This is not the world we live in.” She hesitated, but he nodded for her to go on.
    “Our world is a world of order. Everything Elohim created is for a purpose, and it fulfills that purpose efficiently. Only mankind disrupts that order. When we follow His commands for our life, we find the peace that brings order.”
    Andronicus had stopped eating and stared at her with narrowed eyes. “And how is all of this part of that order?”
    He motioned around him and she realized that he was talking about the war on Jerusalem.
    “God sent His Son to bring peace to the world, but the Jews have rejected Him.”
    His brown eyes sparked with an inner anger that she didn’t understand.
    “And those who didn’t reject Him, what of them? Where was your God of peace when they were in a Roman arena being torn apart by lions?”
    She shivered at his graphic description. Sighing, she was fairly certain she would never be able to explain such a thing to his satisfaction. Greater Christians than she had tried...and failed. It