Herod’s scream echoed in the courtyard as he pounded his fists against the marble column. Where was his captain of spies? He turned at the sound of footsteps. “Sosa! I summoned you an hour ago. Why the delay?”
Sosa bowed. “I come bearing news, O king, but first I needed to be certain. Rumors are stirring of a newborn ruler of the Jews.”
“Do you think your men are my only spies? I have others who tell me what people are unwilling to say.” Herod leaned against the stone wall surrounding the bronze fountain. “You have discovered the source of rebellion?”
“I have. Two men in strange dress, foreigners from the east. But so far, my men have been unable to locate them. They may be somewhere outside the city walls.”
If you had come when I called for you, I could have introduced you to them. They are not the source. They are searching for the child.”
“My men have found no evidence of insurrection within the city.”
“Then the source must be outside the city walls.” Herod slammed his right fist into his left hand. “These men did not come from that far away without Jewish support. Somewhere, people are wanting to overthrow my rule.”
“What more can we do?”
“Wait—but not for long. Matthias knows he’ll not be high priest for another day if he doesn’t tell me what I need to know. Someone knows, and it is his job to find out.”
After a restless night, Herod greeted Matthias at dawn. A rabbi was with him, holding a scroll. Both appeared to be too calm to be bearers if bad news.”
“You have found the new king?” Herod asked. “Here in the city?”
“No, but he must be nearby. We have found a prophecy.” Matthias nodded to the rabbi, who said, “An obscure writing this is, which is why we did not immediately know of it.” He opened the scroll and began to read: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrath, are only a small village among the people of Judah. Yet out of you will come one who will rule Israel, whose origin is from ancient times.”
Herod stopped pacing. “Where in Bethlehem?”
“Every scribe and teacher and priest searched all night before we found these words. Surely the king did not expect us to find the child as well.”
“No, not find him. Have you heard anything from the people? A rumor, perhaps, that might tell us more about where he is?”
“Nothing other than what I heard here yesterday, from the two men who study the night skies.” Matthias hesitated, as if he knew something he hadn’t told. “Those men created no small disturbance around the market and even in the Temple, but your people would never acknowledge anyone but you as their king.”
As Matthias and the rabbi were leaving, Herod’s gatekeeper announced the arrival of Melchoir and Balthasar.
“We have returned at your bidding, O king.” Melchior had a look of both fear and hope. “You have learned where the new king resides?”
Herod nodded, doing his best to appear excited. “God be praised that you discovered the star and came from so far. Our prophets have foretold this day—when God would send a mighty ruler to follow me when I am gone. We must go to honor the soon-coming king.” He motioned to his servant. “Make ready my chariot.”
“As you wish.” Melchoir bowed. “Our caravan will join your procession.”
“Wait!” Herod yelled to his servant at the end of the hall and motioned for him to return.
Wearing a humble look, Herod turned to Melchior. “I am sorry. In my eagerness to see the heir to my throne, I have failed to honor those who have brought the good news. Exactly when did you say the star appeared?”
“About six months ago,” Balthar said.
“You go to Bethlehem,” Herod said. “Diligently search for the child. When you find him, come tell me where he is so I may also worship him.”
As soon as the two men had left the palace, Herod called for Sosa.
“You have a mission for me?” Sosa asked.
“Yes, in Bethlehem. If you fail me, it will be your last.”
“If you know where the child is, why do you not send your soldiers to arrest the family?”
“I am no fool,” Herod said. “People might see the guards coming and hide the child where he could never be found.”
“Then we will publicly torture or kill the men one by one until someone confesses.”
“Even that might not work. Failure is no option here. Do you understand?” Herod smiled, eager to reveal his brilliant plan. “The foreigners are going to find the king and report to me. The people will never suspect that I have sent them.”
“How can you trust foreigners to be loyal to you?”
“I don’t. You must follow them like a shadow but not allow yourself to be seen. You will lie in wait on the road to Bethlehem until you see them coming on their camels. When they have found the child and you know their location, bring word to me.”
“What if they are unable to find the child?”
“Did you think I had not planned for that possibility? I asked when the star appeared so I would know how old the boy was.”
“How old?”
“Six months, but they may have intentionally misled me. He could be younger. He might be a year old, maybe more. It will be a sad day in Bethlehem if the boy is not found, because there will not be a male child alive there—not any boy who is two years old or less.
That night in bed, Herod rolled to one side, then the other. At first he dreamed of good news from Sosa in the morning. Then he wondered how he would squelch the rumors already spreading because of the foreigners’ search.