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 ComfortsChapter 88: Common Men
Takri opened the storeroom door just enough to peek through and assure he was alone. Floryan had assured him the storeroom was rarely used. Once again, the eunuch proved to be correct. A long windowless corridor stretched into darkness on either side as far as Takri could see. He pushed the door wider and stepped outside. Unlit torches lined the stone wall opposite the door in even intervals, but his lamplight did not stretch far enough to see anything else. He turned to his left and followed the smell of fresh air to a stairway leading upwards. He extinguished his lamp and stood still in the darkness, allowing his eyes to adjust. Above, he could see a faint outline of grey light around the edges of the door. He crept up the staircase and pressed his ear to the door. Hearing nothing, he gently pushed it open a crack and looked around.
The temple courtyard lay deserted ahead of him, except for a handful of temple guards gathered around a charcoal brazier at the base of the sanctuary steps. Above him the sky sparkled with stars. He would need to wait until morning before he tried to cross the courtyard to the brothel and Nasreen. Hiding in plain sight was better than a foolhardy trek across an empty courtyard designed to amplify sound. He pulled his head back inside the doorway and sat down to wait, pulling the door closed behind him.
An hour later he awoke to the sound of winter birds welcoming the dawn. He placed his eye at one of the larger cracks in the door and watched the temple wake up. The night watch returned to their quarters on the opposite side of the courtyard while the priests of the Locust began their day prostrate in prayer on the steps of the sanctuary. A small figure, veiled and garbed in temple red hurried across the courtyard from the northwestern corner passing the temple gate and then disappearing behind double doors almost too large for her to open. Guards armed with pikes took their positions at the temple gate and in front of the sanctuary, opening the gates once the priests finished their prayers. Fifteen minutes later, there were enough people in the courtyard for Takri to leave his hiding place and appear as a member of the Swarm come to worship his God-and-King and take advantage of the services of the temple prostitutes.
He untied the sash at his waist and used it to wrap around the lower half of his face in the fashion those who bore the scars of their initiation into the Swarm did. He then pulled his hood over his head. He kept his head down as he left the stairwell and entered the crowd of people milling around the courtyard. No one noticed the young man as he made his way across and entered the door to the brothel.
Inside, he found a handful of other eager members of the Swarm waiting ahead of him. One by one, they were escorted inside by a temple eunuch after providing the required monetary offering to experience the blessing of the Locust King’s women. Takri's first visit to the brothel stood out in stark contrast in his memory. On that day he had entered the brothel through the princely door on the main street outside and was greeted by the procuress herself. There was no payment, for the rank of prince gave him the privilege of his choice of the King's women. Standing among common born members of the Swarm in close quarters reminded him of what the once sacred prostitutes’ daily lives now consisted of. Days of lying with these stinking men not through choice or holy service, but because they were the property of a man. The same man whose favor granted Takri free access to the services of these women, and the same man who had taken the woman he loved away from him. He shook himself free of those thoughts, choosing instead to focus on his mission. All else could wait, and one moment of carelessness could give him away.
What if she isn’t here? What if she rejects me, now that she knows how I serve the monster?
He shuffled closer to the door. Only two men remained ahead of him.
What if she is here? What if one of these men chooses her before I enter?
Takri forced himself to breathe as his mother taught him. Breathing in his fear, holding it inside, and releasing it as he exhaled. But his hands still felt wet with perspiration, and his heart thumped against his chest.
One more man ahead of him. And a new fear.
What if Baraz has taken her?
“Welcome, Locust. Do you bring your offering to taste the blessings of the God-Among-Men?”
Takri jumped at the sound of the eunuch’s voice. He cleared his throat and did his best to disguise his Narim accent as he spoke. “Yes, I do bring an offering.” He fished around in the bag hanging from his waist, procuring a few coins to pay the entrance fee, and the eunuch ushered him into a small room where a veiled old woman sat while another eunuch stood guard behind her.
“Take off your clothes for inspection,” ordered the eunuch. “The Locust King does not wish disease to spread among his men.”
“I will keep my face covered,” said Takri. “I do not wish a woman to see my shame.”
“I do not need to see your face, child,” said the old woman as she stood up. “There is cruelty enough, and those scars make no difference to my judgement.”
Takri stripped off his clothes except for the cloth wrapped around his face. The old woman knelt before him and pulled back the veil from her eyes. Her hands were cold, but she was quick to pronounce him free of disease. He pulled his clothes back on and waited in silence until another veiled woman came in to usher him inside the brothel proper.
“Is this the first time you have partaken in the delights of the Locust King’s temple?” she asked.
“I have been here before,” Takri answered.
“Your accent is strange to me,” said the woman. “We see men from all parts of the Locust’s Empire, but I do not recognize your speech.”
“Where I am from is not important,” said Takri.
The woman nodded and gestured for Takri to follow her. “Forgive me for my curiosity. Follow me, and I will take you to your King’s pleasure.”
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