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| The Man Behind Him |
Asher has the name he came for, but his search for Azariah has drawn unwanted attention. As he makes his way back to Mishkanor, a mysterious watcher follows close behind—and Obadiah already knows he’s there.
Episode 28 | Jerusalem
Reign of King Manasseh
Reign of King Manasseh
Asher left the old man's stall without looking back.
He had learned long ago that looking back invited attention.
So he walked.
Past merchants calling from beneath faded awnings. Past women bargaining over grain and oil. Past soldiers standing beneath the shadow of the city wall.
Azariah.
The name had been enough when he left the palace.
Now it wasn't.
He was taken.
The old man's words followed him through the streets.
Taken by whom?
The king's men seemed the obvious answer. Azariah had spoken against Manasseh. Men had disappeared for less.
But Azariah had not been just another servant.
He had been trusted with the lower treasury.
Trusted with the chamber.
Trusted with the amulet.
If someone had taken him, Asher needed to know whether it had happened before or after the relic disappeared.
He turned onto a narrow street crowded with craftsmen and laborers.
Behind him, someone turned too.
Asher kept walking.
He had noticed the man two streets earlier.
Not the palace guard who had questioned him. This man wore no uniform. His clothing was plain, his head covered against the afternoon sun.
He looked like anyone else in Jerusalem.
That was what bothered Asher.
The man never came closer.
Never fell too far behind.
Asher stopped beside a merchant selling dried figs.
The man stopped at a water stall.
Asher bought nothing.
Neither did the man.
A faint smile touched Asher's mouth.
So. He had not imagined it. He continued toward the lower quarter.
___
Mishkanor
The lower chamber beneath the council hall was quiet. Eliab sat at the long stone table beside the maps Asher had studied before leaving for Jerusalem. Obadiah and Luk-el had joined him there to wait.
"He's still behind him," Luk-el said.
"I know."
"The same man?" Eliab asked.
"Since he left the palace."
Concern touched the elder's face. Obadiah had expected it. Asher might have been a grown man, but Eliab had raised him.
"You sent him for a name," Eliab said.
"I did."
"And he found one."
"Azariah."
Eliab knew the name. "He works for the king. Not a good man."
"He was taken," Obadiah said.
That silenced him.
After a moment, Eliab leaned back in his chair. "I'm not surprised. Men who serve Manasseh have disappeared before. It explains why Asher kept asking questions."
"We warned him to be careful," Luk-el said.
"You don't know Asher."
Obadiah smiled faintly. "I'm beginning to."
That brought the slightest smile from Eliab before his concern returned. "Who is following him?"
"I know who he serves."
"And Asher knows he's there?"
"He does."
Eliab was quiet for a moment. "Is he in danger?"
"Not while we're watching him."
That was the assurance Eliab needed, though it didn't erase a father's concern.
"I raised that boy," he said. "I know his courage. I also know how stubborn he can be."
"So do I now."
Eliab looked at Obadiah. "Then you know I won't sacrifice him for an answer."
"Neither will I. You should know that."
"I do."
There was nothing more to settle between them.
Obadiah moved toward the chamber door. "He'll be coming home soon."
Luk-el understood immediately.
Eliab did too.
"What do you need from us?"
Obadiah opened the door.
"Get ready to welcome Asher."
___
Asher changed direction again.
This time deliberately.
He left the crowded market streets and entered a quieter section of Jerusalem where stone houses stood closer together and fewer people lingered outside.
The footsteps remained.
He couldn't hear them constantly.
That was worse.
A poor follower wanted to remain unseen.
A skilled one wanted his target to wonder whether he existed at all.
Asher passed a narrow alley.
Then another.
At the third, he turned.
He moved quickly between the buildings, crossed behind a row of storage rooms and came out onto another street.
A donkey cart lumbered past.
Two boys ran behind it laughing.
Asher stopped beside a stone trough.
Waited.
Nothing.
He exhaled.
Then saw the reflection in the water.
A figure crossed the mouth of the street behind him.
The same covered head.
The same measured walk.
Asher lowered his eyes.
Whoever the man was, he wasn't trying very hard to lose him.
Which raised another question.
Maybe he wanted Asher to know.
Asher left the trough.
By the time Mishkanor came into view, Asher had stopped checking behind him.
The man was still there.
Asher continued toward the village without changing his pace.
Behind him, the watcher stopped beneath an olive tree.
He had followed the young courier out of Jerusalem, across miles of open country, and now to a place he had not expected to find.
___
Jerusalem
The lamps inside the temple were already burning when the watcher returned.
Smoke from the altar drifted through the chamber, carrying the heavy scent of incense. Priests moved between the carved images along the walls, tending flames and arranging offerings as evening settled over Jerusalem.
The watcher crossed the outer chamber.
One of the priests noticed where he was headed and stepped aside. Another lowered his eyes as he passed.
No one stopped him.
The man he had come to see stood beyond the altar speaking quietly with two of the priests. They listened without interruption. When he dismissed them, both men left quickly.
The watcher approached.
“You followed him?”
“To Mishkanor.”
The man's attention sharpened.
“Mishkanor?”
“He returned there.”
“What did he learn in Jerusalem?”
“He was asking about Azariah. Where he had gone. What happened to him.”
“And?”
“He learned that Azariah was taken.”
The man was silent.
The watcher had delivered reports to him before. He knew better than to fill the silence.
“Did the boy speak to anyone after he reached the village?”
“Three men met him outside the council hall.”
“Did you recognize them?”
“No.”
“What did they do?”
“They spoke briefly. Then they went inside.”
The man turned toward the altar.
Mishkanor.
Of all the places the young courier could have gone, he had returned there.
And Antioch's last word had been that Obadiah was nowhere to be found.
Perhaps that meant nothing.
Perhaps.
“Should I return to Jerusalem?” the watcher asked.
“No.”
The man faced him again.
“Go back to Mishkanor. Don't approach anyone. Don't enter the village. Watch the young man. Watch the men he meets. Report everything.”
The watcher nodded and turned to leave.
“And one more thing.”
He stopped.
The man's voice lowered.
“Report only to me.”
The watcher bowed his head.
“As you command.”
He disappeared into the outer chamber.
The priests continued their work around the altar, careful not to look toward the man who remained behind.
He watched the flames for a long moment.
Then he smiled.
Mishkanor.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Asher has the name he came for, but his search for Azariah has drawn unwanted attention. As he makes his way back to Mishkanor, a mysterious watcher follows close behind—and Obadiah already knows he’s there.
Discover More: Note: The story above is a work of fiction created for inspirational purposes. Any resemblance to actual individuals or events is purely coincidental. Enjoy more heartfelt stories from the Obadiah: Clipped Wing series—each one crafted to uplift, inspire, and reflect God's presence in everyday life. Read more stories » ☕ If you’ve enjoyed our stories, you can treat us to a cup of coffee through PayPal or visit the Faithfully Encourage Shop for notebooks, mugs, and candles inspired by everyday faith.
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