[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the Moses Chronicles.
[SPEAKER_00]: You are listening to the Moses Chronicles prelude book one, written by R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R. R.
[SPEAKER_00]: The Exodus hasn't come, but the fault lines have formed.
[SPEAKER_00]: This is the story before the basket on the Nile, the quiet, before slavery.
[SPEAKER_01]: Chapter Six The Magicians Plot A dark opportunity
[SPEAKER_01]: The room was dark.
[SPEAKER_01]: The only light coming from the flickering glow of a single oil lamp.
[SPEAKER_01]: The heavy scent of burning resin clung to the air, mingling with the musk of damp stone.
[SPEAKER_01]: It was a chamber hidden within the temple.
[SPEAKER_01]: A place where secrets festered, where jealousy and pride wrapped around the men gathered like leprosy consuming flesh.
[SPEAKER_01]: The priests of a moon sat in a circle, their robes pooming around them like shadows.
[SPEAKER_01]: Nefarrah, the high priest, stood at the centre, his expression carved from stone, slowly, his fingers brush the edge of a gold-mullet hanging at his chest, and all habit when invoking the unseen.
[SPEAKER_01]: Around him, his council of magicians and scribes whispered among themselves, voices hissing like serpent's coiling in the dark.
[SPEAKER_01]: They had waited years for this moment, and now.
[SPEAKER_01]: The window was near.
[SPEAKER_01]: Joseph's caravan had not yet left Egypt, but it would soon.
[SPEAKER_01]: Joseph, the Hebrew, who had humiliated them, were stolen Pharaoh's favor, who had reshaped Egypt's future with nothing more than dreams and a silver tongue, would finally meet his end.
[SPEAKER_01]: Nefarah's lip curled as he surveyed his gathered brethren.
[SPEAKER_01]: The Hebrew departs soon, he said, his voice smooth, quiet.
[SPEAKER_01]: Out there, beyond Pharaoh's reach, he is nothing.
[SPEAKER_01]: A man, not a ruler, a foreigner, not a prince.
[SPEAKER_01]: Mermaids of agreement rippled to the room.
[SPEAKER_01]: We will strike, never la continue.
[SPEAKER_01]: And at last, Amon's justice will be carried out.
[SPEAKER_01]: A priest near the edge of the gathering smirked, and what a fero?
[SPEAKER_01]: Will he mourn his pet?
[SPEAKER_01]: Nefarrah's expression darkened.
[SPEAKER_01]: Pharaoh will mourn, but Pharaoh is a god.
[SPEAKER_01]: Gods do not dwell long on the death of men.
[SPEAKER_01]: A younger priest raises chin, eyes fierce with conviction, a moon himself for tall that far in blood will poison throne.
[SPEAKER_01]: What we do is not vengeance, it is obedience, soft laugh the rose around him.
[SPEAKER_01]: When it died as quickly as it had come, a sudden movement.
[SPEAKER_01]: The doors burst open, a figure stumble inside, thrown forward onto the cold stone floor.
[SPEAKER_01]: The pre-searched to their feet, robes flaring, faces twisted infuri at the interruption.
[SPEAKER_01]: Who dares?
[SPEAKER_01]: One of them snorled, the man on the ground gasped, his hands played against the floor as he struggled to catch his breath, a spy.
[SPEAKER_01]: One of their informants embedded among the palace servants.
[SPEAKER_01]: Never asked step forward, his shadow looming over the man like a vulture poise to strike.
[SPEAKER_01]: His voice venomous.
[SPEAKER_01]: You would interrupt us.
[SPEAKER_01]: Do you have any idea?
[SPEAKER_01]: My Lord!
[SPEAKER_01]: The man rast, cutting him off.
[SPEAKER_01]: His forehead pressed against the stone in submission.
[SPEAKER_01]: Forgive me, but you must hear this.
[SPEAKER_01]: Never asked your titan, but he waved a hand.
[SPEAKER_01]: Speak!
[SPEAKER_01]: The spy lifted his head, his face dumped with sweat.
[SPEAKER_01]: His breath came fast, his words tumbling out in urgency.
[SPEAKER_01]: The caravan will not travel unguarded, murmurs rippled through the room.
[SPEAKER_01]: Therefore, Ron narrowed his eyes, explained, the spy swallowed hard.
[SPEAKER_01]: Joseph's brothers, Judah, and Zebulan have gone ahead.
[SPEAKER_01]: They have already secured allies along the way.
[SPEAKER_01]: The room stilled.
[SPEAKER_01]: The name of Israel is greatly respected outside of Egypt, despite continuing his voice trembling.
[SPEAKER_01]: And that is not all many dignitaries will be travelling with the Caravan, high-ranking officials, leaders from other lands, allow his roles from one of the priests.
[SPEAKER_01]: Even in death, the patriarch houses are shadow.
[SPEAKER_01]: Cursed that name, they speak of him as if he were a god.
[SPEAKER_01]: Nefarah's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
[SPEAKER_01]: The legacy of Israel still walked among them, and that was the true enemy.
[SPEAKER_01]: A heavy silence followed.
[SPEAKER_01]: The plan was unraveling.
[SPEAKER_01]: A pre-sorn Nefarah's left shifted uncomfortably.
[SPEAKER_01]: If we move against him now, it will not go unnoticed.
[SPEAKER_01]: Another spat on a floor.
[SPEAKER_01]: This was our chance.
[SPEAKER_01]: Outside of Egypt, he is weak.
[SPEAKER_01]: But if he is around into my allies, he trailed off.
[SPEAKER_01]: His frustration boiling beneath his words.
[SPEAKER_01]: Nefarrah exiled through his nose, his fingers curling at his sides.
[SPEAKER_01]: He had anticipated guards, of course.
[SPEAKER_01]: He had expected some level of precaution.
[SPEAKER_01]: But this, this was too great a risk.
[SPEAKER_01]: No clean escape, no simple accident in the desert.
[SPEAKER_01]: The plan had to change.
[SPEAKER_01]: Nefarrah turned to the gathered men, his expression cold, calculating, we will not move against him on the road.
[SPEAKER_01]: A few priests protested, but he silenced them with a glier.
[SPEAKER_01]: We are not fools.
[SPEAKER_01]: If we act now, we will be slaughtered like cattle.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yet beneath his calm, Nefarrah felt the pressure tightened around his chest.
[SPEAKER_01]: He had steaked everything on diminishing Joseph's influence.
[SPEAKER_01]: If the Hebrew lived long enough to sway the next Pharaoh, a man's priest might find himself bowing to a God they did not serve.
[SPEAKER_01]: Apart, then Nefarrah smiled.
[SPEAKER_01]: But the journey is long, and long journeys provide opportunity.
[SPEAKER_01]: The others leaned in.
[SPEAKER_01]: We will send two spies embedded within the Caravan itself.
[SPEAKER_01]: They will walk among them, eat with them, and speak with them.
[SPEAKER_01]: And if there is a moment, a single moment where Joseph is alone.
[SPEAKER_01]: A dagger will find its way to his side.
[SPEAKER_01]: A slow murmur of agreement filled the chamber.
[SPEAKER_01]: One of the other priests folded his arm.
[SPEAKER_01]: At what of Pharaoh's men?
[SPEAKER_01]: They will haunt the assassin down immediately.
[SPEAKER_01]: Never rise, smile did not falter.
[SPEAKER_01]: Of course they will.
[SPEAKER_01]: He turns to another priest, the one who handled temple finances, set aside a smart fortune when our assassin is struck down his family will be compensated.
[SPEAKER_01]: It is a death sentence for whoever takes the task.
[SPEAKER_01]: The priest's voice faltered, his eyes drifting toward the dark into doorway, as if, for a heartbeat, he imagined his son's walking into death.
[SPEAKER_01]: Must it be this way?
[SPEAKER_01]: Never ask that closer, fingers stroking the golden amulet at his chest.
[SPEAKER_01]: His tone turned to iron.
[SPEAKER_01]: It is a sacrifice.
[SPEAKER_01]: One that will read Egypt of this Hebrew blight.
[SPEAKER_01]: The flicker of doubt vanished.
[SPEAKER_01]: No one questioned again.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so it was decided to men a dagger, a chance.
[SPEAKER_01]: The magicians of Egypt had previously failed to stop Joseph.
[SPEAKER_01]: They would not fail again.
[SPEAKER_00]: You've been listening to the Moses Chronicles prelude, narrated by M. McIntosh.
[SPEAKER_00]: To explore the full audiobook, purchase it, indigital or printed form, or discover companion writings, visit Moses Chronicles.com.
[SPEAKER_00]: For more secret fiction, subscribe and journey with us through promises, exile, and deliverance.
[SPEAKER_00]: New chapters are released weekly, until then, may the quiet still speak.