The Lost Choice Read Free Page A

incredible wealth. It contains death and birth and blindness and sight. And one day, it will be yours to protect.”
    Kasi shifted his weight as he took all this in. “If you won’t tell me what it is, then what does it do?”
    â€œI told you exactly what it is. As for what it does? It does nothing. It does, however, represent the power to do everything. It is believed and doubted, contemplated and ignored, pursued and avoided. Men will kill for it . . . and I would die to protect it.”
    â€œWhere did you get it?”
    â€œFrom my father many years ago.” Alem cleared his throat. “He was entrusted with the possession and kept it hidden for many years. It was the only thing he left me, and it will be the only thing I am able to leave you, Kasi. It is a gift from a father to his son.”
    Kasi was more confused than ever.“Father,” he questioned, “why do we have to keep the object hidden? And if we can’t use it, what good is it anyway?”
    â€œPay close attention, my son,” Alem began. “There will come a time when the possession will be revealed to all. On that day, everything will change. Kingdoms will rise and fall . . . in a day! You must know that there are men who would die to make this happen and men who would die to prevent it from happening.
    â€œThe possession itself—the object—will never, alone, do anything. Even as you gain full knowledge of its history and destiny, it will do nothing but remain tied to your body. Kasi . . . turn around. I want to look at you.” Alem picked up his son by the arms and helped him turn completely around—he was riding backward, but facing his father.
    â€œMy son,” Alem said as he placed his hands on Kasi’s shoulders and stared intently into his eyes, “an article of wood or metal or glass can achieve nothing. Set on a mantel in a fine home or on a mountaintop for all to see, it will never, by itself, plow a field or tend a sick person or cook a meal. An object can inspire, arouse, prove, encourage, justify, and confirm. But it can never produce.
    â€œIt is only by your hand that the mind’s choices bear fruit. Intentions are like physical beauty—they mean nothing. At some point, a person must actually do something. One’s beliefs must become works. By your hand, you establish evidence for others in the truth of what you believe.”
    Suddenly Biba violently threw her head to the side and stumbled to her knees. A scream from the end of the caravan pierced the calm night as the sand behind and in front of the Bedouins erupted with men brandishing swords, shooting bows, and shrieking at the top of their voices!
    Biba slowly rolled over on her side, an arrow through her neck, as Alem released Skei and swept Kasi from the dying camel.“Slavers, Kasi!” he yelled.“Roman slavers! Dig a hole under Biba! Quickly!”
    As chaos raged around them in the darkness, Alem and Kasi hurriedly dug a trench in the sand alongside and under the camel. Men were running, swords were flashing and the boy heard the whistling rush of arrows being loosed as he looked up to see a man surrender. His father pushed him into the hole and said, “Dig in! Hide!”
    On his knees behind the dead camel and the scattered baskets,Alem drew a sword from the folds of his burnoose. With a rapid jerk, he cut the bundle from his chest, sliced the cord binding it, and rolled the possession fully exposed onto the ground. It came to rest mere inches from Kasi’s face. Despite the bedlam raging around him, the boy’s eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped. Then his father took the sword and hacked it to pieces.
    In three swift strokes, Alem severed the object into four parts. Horrified, Kasi yelled,“You destroyed it!” and started to scramble out of his hole.
    Alem grabbed him and shoved him roughly back in. “Stay down, Kasi! The possession can never be destroyed!