Beneath the Sycamore Tree: A Covenant House Novella

by Connilyn Cossette

Before the boy with the dual-colored eyes became the most feared fighter in Ashdod, he was just a broken child hiding beneath a sycamore tree—and the girl who found him refused to leave.

Ripped from his Philistine homeland and dropped on a mountain of strangers, Lukio is counting the days until he can slip away from Kiryat-Yearim. Then a freckle-faced girl with hazel eyes crawls into his hiding place and decides, without asking, that they are friends.

Shoshana knows exactly what it costs to love someone in a house built on fear. But Lukio never once raises a hand to her, and in the hollow beneath the ancient roots, two wounded children build something neither has ever a place to belong.

For four years, moonlit meetings and hard-won secrets knit their hearts together—until a shattering betrayal threatens to tear apart everything they've built.

Set in the background of To Dwell among Cedars in the Covenant House Series from Christy Award-Winning Author Connilyn Cossette, this poignant novella reveals the friendship-turned-love story that Book One only hints at and shows exactly why Lukio walked away from Kiryat-Yearim carrying a wound that won't heal until Between the Wild Branches.

84 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2026

About the author

Connilyn Cossette is a Christy Award-winning, bestselling author who loves digging into the ancient world of the Bible and crafting immersive stories that encourage readers to encounter the Great Storyteller himself. As the grateful adoptive mom of two homeschool graduates and a recent breast cancer survivor, she knows firsthand how Yahweh’s steadfast love redeems every unexpected plot twist. She and her husband of nearly thirty years are based just north of Charlotte, North Carolina, with suitcases always half-packed for their next adventure together.

Connect with her at ConnilynCossette.com

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ✨✨✨✨
spice: extremely minimal: a kiss and holding hands.
heavy topics: death of parent(s), abuse of a child, alcoholism, racism.

This sweet novella captures a glimpse of Lukio and Shoshanna, whose full story is in Between the Wild Branches. I was excited to read this as I’ve read all her book in this series and am looking forward to Throne of the Heavens. Lukio is definitely one of my favorite characters. Lukio, a Philistine who escaped into Hebrew territory with his sister is adopted by Elezar, who is in charge of protecting the Ark. Lukio never quite feels at home until he meets Shoshanna. Shoshanna’s life is marked by grief at the loss of her mother, making her responsible for management of a home and family well before she is ready. Her father is prone to drink and is abusive to her. She finds solitude in her friendship with Lukio.
One thing that was challenging is that the start of the book is written when Lukio and Shoshanna are 11 and 9, and the writing style doesn’t reflect their ages.
Definitely a worthwhile read.

[Michaela (Reading in the Heartland) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this no spice Biblical fiction. Though I’ve read this duology before, this is my first time reading this novelette. A companion that must be read after book 1, this collection of scenes that take place in the background of book 1, with the MCs of book 2, give us both sweet and heartbreaking moments. Such hope and loss. I need to immediately reread the next book! The romance is just kisses, intimacy level 1.

Content Notes: Loss of Family, Grief, Bullying, Child Abuse, Fights, Mentions of Pagan Rituals and Prostitution

[Anita Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath the Sycamore Tree

Loved this book as well as I have loved all of Connilyn Cossette 's books. She is one of my favorite authors.