Pearl-Maiden Chapter 9 - The Justice Of Florus

In which a sudden departure from the peaceful Essene community leads to a poignant farewell between Miriam and the Roman Marcus, as their deep but divided affections are laid bare under the quiet watching of the desert moon, revealing a gulf of faith between them. Meanwhile, the fortunes of young Caleb take a turn from despair to power in the courts of Jerusalem, where justice—tempered as ever by guile and circumstance—is meted out by the stern hand of the Roman procurator Florus.