22
It was a long wait from noonday to the hour of the procession. The sun sailed across the sky and sat on the edge of the horizon when we exited the tent. Each of us wore our cloaks, and Abel and Clara followed us outside.
The pair turned toward the temple, and Abel bowed his head to us. “Good luck, my friends, and may Gad shine his light on you.”
We hurried southward to the bottom of the encampment. The crowds of the past days were gone, though a steady stream of people walked up the road toward the temple. We positioned ourselves near the front gate and faced the thoroughfare. No one was in our way for when we rushed the procession.
I glanced over my shoulder. Six guards stood at attention at the gate facing us. They’d already lit the lamps behind them and the flickering lig
