Chapter 82
If thou do that which is evil, be afraid;
For he beareth not the sword in vain:
For he is the minister of God, a revenger
To execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
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—Romans 13:4
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MIKHAIL
The River of Ahava bisects the bādiyat ash-shām desert like a silver necklace dropped carelessly into the dirt. I resist the urge to fly towards it and dive into its depths. Behind us, the sun has begun to brighten the eastern sky. Soon it will be dawn. All it will take is one person to report seeing a winged man for the lizards to aim their satellite cameras down.
As we grow closer, the landscape begins to change. While the desert remains far too dry to grow any crops, there is just enough moisture to nurture some scrubby forage. While we don't see any goats, the squish of excremen
