Blood of the Goddess Book I: The Locust King
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Locusts at the Gate Chapter 2: A New Name Chapter 3: The Capital Prepares Chapter 4: The Princess is Dead, Long Live the Princess Chapter 5: Outside the Gates Chapter 6: Inside the Black Tent Chapter 7: Surrender at the Temple Chapter 8: The Cult of the Locust Chapter 9: The Locust's Tenets of Faith Chapter 10: Mourners on the Cliff Chapter 11: The Eye of Betrayal Chapter 12: The Dead King's Bedchamber Chapter 13: The Arms of the Goddess Chapter 14: Zayaan of the Narim Chapter 15: The Eyes of the Priestess Chapter 16: A More Permanent Disguise Chapter 17: Tribute Chapter 18: Sacrifice of the New Moon Chapter 19: The Lost Bird Chapter 20: Manah and the Priestess Chapter 21: Desert Creatures Chapter 22: Become the Swarm Chapter 23 The Price of Betrayal Chapter 24: Life Under the Locust Chapter 25: Wild Rose Chapter 26: The Lady Wren Chapter 27: Thought and Desire Chapter 28: The Lady's Captivity Chapter 29: The Wine Maiden Chapter 30: End of Childhood Chapter 31: The Children of Aisha Chapter 32: The Forest Runner Chapter 33: Three Sisters Chapter 34: The Hunt Chapter 35: Bones in the Forest Chapter 36: Lullaby Chapter 37: The Hunter's Horn Chapter 38: Ways Between Ways Chapter 39: Morning Star Chapter 40: A Prophecy for Baraz Chapter 41: Equinox Fires Chapter 42: The Lord Prince Takri Chapter 43: Evening Star Sets Chapter 44: Chaos in the Courtyard Chapter 45: Dasha Chapter 46: Memories Chapter 47: The Body Slave Chapter 48: Caged Beasts Chapter 49: Message from the Capital Chapter 50: Heresiarch Chapter 51: The Color of Blood Chapter 52: Winter Winds Chapter 53: The Bookmaker's Closet Chapter 54: Wrapped in Dignity and Beauty Chapter 55: Vessel of the Goddess Chapter 56: Cracks in the Walls Chapter 57: Two Brothers Chapter 58: The Court of Women Chapter 59: Favored of the King Chapter 60: The Sweetest Fruit Chapter 61: Daughter of the Temple Chapter 62: A Nation of Bastards Chapter 63: The Lute Player Chapter 64: Aisha's Prayer Chapter 65: Promises Chapter 66: Lives Lost Chapter 67: The Tea Maker Chapter 68: Object of Desire Chapter 69: Empty Shelves Chapter 70: Darkness and Light Chapter 71: The Love of Men Chapter 72: The Cursed Ones Chapter 73: Hiding Places Chapter 74: Old Men's Tales Chapter 75: False Prophecies Chapter 76: The Lord Prince Radu Chapter 77: Love Becomes Life Chapter 78: Mistress and Mother Chapter 79: A Test of Strength Chapter 80: The Strigoi-Viu Cometh Chapter 81: Scraps from the Table Chapter 82: A Fool's Errand Chapter 83: The Little Ghost Chapter 84: Stolen Honeycakes Chapter 85: Breathe Chapter 86: Beneath the Palace Chapter 87: Red Pebbles Chapter 88: Common Men Chapter 89: Love and Duty Chapter 90: Nightmares Chapter 91: Earth and Sun Chapter 92: Love and Creation Chapter 93: Until My Last Breath Chapter 94: Fruit and Flower Chapter 95: Two Days Chapter 96: Small Comforts Chapter 97: Heroes Chapter 98: Fire, Water, and Wax Chapter 99: Beneath the Temple Chapter 100: The Way of Eagles Chapter 101: The Gallu Chapter 102: The Cast Off Chapter 103: The Empty Bed Chapter 104: If It Is Her Will Chapter 105: Hunger Chapter 106: The Strigoi-Viu's Gift Chapter 107: Pennyroyal Chapter 108: Forgiveness Chapter 109: Fragile Chapter 110: Another Lord Prince Chapter 111: Divine Intervention Chapter 112: Chance to Live Chapter 113: Accusations Chapter 114: Negotiations Chapter 115: Dark Memories Chapter 116: Forgotten Chapter 117: Questions and ObedienceChapter 117: Questions and Obedience
After many hours, Aisha awoke, still hugging the scroll case in the dim green light from the lake. She sat up and stretched, feeling somehow more rested than any night she slept in the women's dormitory. In the dormitory she was never able to succumb to the depths of sleep, for when she woke she knew she would face the daily inspections of the Holy Mother just like all the women in the dormitory. Just like Nasreen.
Nasreen flauted the Holy Mother, hiding her love for Takri and the resulting pregnancy. That hiding had killed her. No. The Holy Mother killed her. If what the Procuress whispered was true, Nasreen was struck down by the old priestess's herbs, and while she may not have intended Nasreen's death, but the result was the same. No woman would bear a child to the Locusts under the Holy Mother's watch. Nasreen was only the first victim who suffered death as a consequence.
If I do return to the city, it will be to burn the Temple to the ground and the Holy Mother within it.
Why should I not return? Why should I hide from her? She called me a parasite and a leech, when she is the one who sucks the life from all who surround her? When she took my only friend from me just to keep a baby from being born?
A deep scream of rage escaped her lips and echoed back to her through the lake's mist. She let out another, and another until her voice weakened and her throat felt raw.
I have forgotten who I am. I am not Aisha, the girl who cowers in the library away from all who could know her. I am not Aisha, failed Eyes of the Holy Mother. She called me weak. But I have time to grow stronger than she is.
I am Irinya, Princess of Adyll, born to Queen Mila the eleventh of her name and King Pytr of Adyll. But, I am also Aisha, sister of Nasreen. And I am Aisha, keeper of the hidden stories.
She took another drink from the water skin to soothe her throat, and began eating another piece of flatbread now softened from the moisture in the air surrounding her. She managed a few bites of the bread and a few bites of cheese, thinking of how different this journey would be with Nasreen and Takri. They would be laughing along their journey, full of hope. Not screaming into the dark.
Slinging her bag of rations and the scroll case over her shoulder she started back on her journey, following the shore of the dimly glowing lake towards what she hoped was freedom. The air cooled and the light from the lake dimmed even more as she progressed, but she held off lighting her oil lamp as long as possible to conserve her supply of oil. After what she estimated to be an hour of walking, the still steady dripping of the lake was replaced by the faint sound of running water. A few minutes more, and the sound was unmistakable.
She had found the river that would lead her to the west and safety.
Night fell on the supply caravan's camp outside the capital city. The men of the Swarm gathered about the central fire eating and drinking. Earlier in the day, Zayaan had shot and killed a deer with Radu. Now the deer was roasting on the fire while the men were deep in their cups.
"Radu, I still don't understand why we are waiting to bring the supplies to the city," said Zayaan.
"Stop thinking so much and pour me more wine, Tea Maker," said Radu. "Or should I call you the mighty killer of deer?"
"I told you I was good with a bow and arrow," said Zayaan. "But you are not answering the question. Why are we waiting if the people need food? Wouldn't they be happier with food now instead of waiting for Longest Night?"
Radu pulled himself into a sitting position while Zayaan poured him another flagon of wine. He sighed deeply. "You really want to know, don't you?"
Zayaan looked at him questioningly. "Why would I ask you if I didn't want to know?"
"It is like this, Slayer of Deer," said Radu. "The people need to see that Mahleck is the one true God that he claims to be. And for them to understand this, they need to see him as both a punisher of sin and a rewarder of obedience. Right now, they are being punished for their sins of idolatry and indulgence. They are weak, even more weak than they were when the Swarm overwhelmed them and their city fell."
"So he is playing games with them," said Zayaan.
"He is showing that he can provide for them when they need it most. He is showing he can be benevolent and merciful."
"By starving them of food he could give them now?" asked Zayaan.
Radu rolled his eyes and rubbed his face in frustration. "This is not about feeding the people or starving them. This is about who the God-King is. Is he simply a despot? A tormentor of the people? You cannot rule a country if you are hated by all. Eventually the people learn they are more in number than you, and if they begin to talk amongst each other you end up in rebellion. But, if you convince enough of them of your Godhood and merciful nature by providing food when they need it most, and whose punishments are fierce, you end up with a populace who will follow you to their own deaths."
Zayaan knit his brows together. "Do you believe he is a god?"
"I don't believe in any other," answered Radu. "I watched him conquer the known world. I watched him suffer wounds that would kill any mortal man. I have seen men brought back from the dead. If he isn't a god, then what is he?"
Zayaan took a drink from his flagon. "It is not that I mean to question -"
Radu cut him off. "Let us talk of other things. Your cousin the Lord Prince is not what I expected. You made him sound like a joker, but he looked so dour when he came to camp! Do you think it was the woman he was with? The temple prostitute? What kind of prize must she have between her legs to make a man so sad to be deprived of it?"
Zayaan blushed. "I would not be the one to ask about such matters, Radu. They took me to the camp when I was fifteen, and I have not seen a woman since."
"There will be women aplenty in the court of the Locust!" exclaimed Radu. "We shall find you a lusty wine maiden who will teach you the pleasures of the cunny. Our God has any kind of woman you might like in his palace, from all corners of his kingdom, and all are ripe for the taking. We shall see how you fare once you have tasted their delights. Perhaps you will be struck just as your cousin, although I think you are made of stronger stuff than he is."
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