Two men stepped in, and he recognized one of them as the second man who’d come with Brielle’s father to question Gerald. No women accompanied them, not even Audrey. Did that mean she was still gathering Charlotte and Jeanette?
Evan focused on the man he’d seen before. “Brielle is in danger and I have to go help her. I won’t escape, you have my word. You can keep my things, and you can send someone with me if you feel it necessary. I’ll do whatever I need tofind Brielle and Marcellus, then I’ll come back with them. After that, you can lock me up or hang me or whatever else you see fit.”
The two men looked at each other, and the worry in their eyes was plain. Did they fear for Brielle and others caught out in the storm, or was that look because they were afraid to let him leave? If the latter, they were dimwitted fools.
He took in as deep a breath as he could manage with the adrenaline pulsing through him. He had to remind himself of the reason for their fear of him. Six of their loved ones had been brutally murdered at the hands of outsiders. Though their paranoia wasn’t necessary in his case—at least, not the kind of danger they feared—the root of their worry stemmed from desire to protect their people.
That’s exactly what he was trying to do. They had the same goal, so maybe he could leverage that fact. If only he wasn’t an outsider. If he were part of this community already, there would be no question whether he could help.
God, you’ve got to do something. Step in here. Please.
He forced himself to manage a reasonable tone. “All I want to do is bring back those who might be lost out in the storm.”
The taller man eyed him. “What makes you think you can do that and the others can’t? You don’t even know the trails and places they might have taken refuge. Unless there’s more to your story than you told us.”
A new rush of frustration boiled inside him. He shook his head hard. “Everything I told you is true. And I won’t stop until I find them. Brielle is in trouble, I can feel it. I have to help.”
The other man shook his head. “The storm is awful. You can only see a couple steps ahead and it’s bitter cold, especiallywith the strength of the wind. You’ll never survive out there. Our people are accustomed to it.”
He curled his hands into fists but stiffened his arms to keep them at his sides. “If I’m going to die out there, then why not let me go? That way you won’t have to worry about whatever it is you think I’m hiding.”
Both men shook their heads, and the taller one spoke again. “We can’t let you go. There’s not a good enough reason to overrule the council’s decision.”
Not good enough reason?Brielle’s life was more than enough reason.
But no matter how he pleaded, neither man budged. At last, the taller man raised an outstretched hand, palm forward. “No more. You will stay under guard. We’re all praying for their safe return.” The man gave Evan a pointed look. “If you want to help, I suggest you do the same.”
As they left the room and the bar clanged into place behind them, Evan sank onto his mat. How could this be happening? Brielle needed him. He knew in the deepest part of him that God meant for him to help her. But he could do nothing while they held him in this cell.What now, Lord?
He slid a glance at Leonard. He could overpower the man. Was that what God wanted him to do?
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. The familiar Scripture from Romans echoed in his mind. He was trying to live peaceably, but Brielle’s life was in danger and these people wouldn’t listen to reason. In this case, living peaceably wasn’t within his power, was it? Surely that was why the Scripture had added the disclaimeras much as depends on you.His own actionswerewithin his control, no matter what these people decided.
But, God. Brielle.His heart cried out.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.Conviction swept through him with the verse from James. A conviction he did not want to feel.
He raised his face to the heavens and clamped his jaw shut to keep from shouting at God. Brielle was out in the storm, probably dying, and God wanted him to do nothing except pray?Lord, have you lost your senses?
Conviction pressed harder. God could take care of Brielle. Evan’s mind knew that to be fact.
But his heart ... his heart screamed that he couldn’t leave her safety to anyone else. Especially to an invisible God.
He may have never seen God with his eyes, but he knew beyond a doubt the Lord was real. He created the earth, and even more than that, He knew every man, woman, and child. Had a path mapped out for each person to follow.
A weight pressed so hard on him he had to bow his head, his shoulders drooping under the pressure. Evan had strayed from that path more than once during his life, but since Sophia’s death, and then watching all those women and children die in the fire at that Canadian fort, he’d determined he wouldn’t take a step without the Lord’s guiding.
How quickly he’d forgotten to seek God’s will. How easily he strayed.
And though he’d promised himself he would never willingly tell a lie again, so many of his words since he’d come to this place had skirted the truth, even to himself. He had to be honest with these people. Even if he found pitchblende in another mountain around this area, the coming of the miners would still disrupt Laurent.
Lord, forgive me for my deceit. Give me the strength toface even the hard conversations.
A weight lifted from his chest with the words. Not the entire weight, because fear for Brielle still pressed hard. But God’s forgiveness had scraped away a layer of tension.
Now, for his next step.
He’d been determined to help look for Brielle, but really ... what did he bring other than desperation? He had little knowledge of the area and the people here didn’t trust him. Yet what he could bring before God—a willing heart and a repenting spirit—is what the Lord was accepting.
