“Signal fires,” she said, and shrugged.
“Not just signal fires. Oh, I know they’ve been in use for centuries, but these would be somewhat different. They would have the added merit of being holy fires.”
“Holy fires?”
“In the old days where were the sacrifices made?”
“In the high places.”
“Exactly. And on horned altars. Abraham would have offered up Isaac on top of a mountain, as Jephthah gave up his daughter on a similar elevated shrine. Today the priests and the corybantes who worship the magna mater Cybele burn their offerings on hilltops.”
Jezebel opened her lips, then closed them.
Ahab said, “You brought a number of priests with you from Tyre. Summon more of them. Send them to the western border, there to wait until Ben-hadad invades Israel. Let them send up a black smoke if it is day, a great red fire if it is night. It will be a warning. I will hold the army in readiness somewhere near Kedesh, to be midway of the point where I expect he’ll come.”
Jezebel nodded. “It might be done that way. Certainly the Aramaeans will not suspect holy men busy at their sacred flames for our spies.” She glanced at him slyly. “Such a service to Israel would be deserving of a great reward.”
He grinned at her. “A fine, big temple to Baal-Melkart, with possibly another one in honor of Astarte.”
Sitting back on her heels, she clapped her hands. “I shall bring many priests to Israel so that their holy fires may protect us. I shall bring priestesses too, that they may dance when the fires are lighted and so distract Ben-hadad’s soldiers from their duty.”
Ahab glanced at her body, naked to her navel. “If the priestesses are half as attractive as their princess, Israel need have no worries.”
He reached out and caught her, bringing her in against him.
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