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 Obedience Chapter 118: Twisted Ways Chapter 119: New Eyes Chapter 120: Justice and Mercy Chapter 121: Changing Waters Chapter 122: Council of GrandmothersChapter 122: Council of Grandmothers
The Holy Mother's apartments smelled of dust and stagnant air, but the rooms were warm and the walls were thick. The smell would fade with a good cleaning and open windows once Spring came to Adyll. Soon, Ayn would return with the remains of the Counil of Grandmothers. But for now, the old priestess would enjoy the silence of her own company.
Finally, a fire of my own. No more huddling next to the kitchen's oven with servants and cooks. Now I will warm by bones as I wish and sleep on a soft bed as befits my status. No howling winds. No snoring women. No cries in the night, or sound of soldiers' iron shot feet ringing on cobblestones. Only the crackle of the fire and my own joints if I choose to move them.
She would serve Adyll better in her new position as forgiven Heresiarch. Now, she had the ear of the loathsome king, perhaps even more so than the now crippled Baraz. She could plot in luxury instead of cold misery, eating spiced stews of the same quality as the high priest instead of watery lentils and porridge. And one day, I will watch them both fall. I will watch them all fall.
A rap at the door brought her out of her reverie.
"Enter!"
She heard the door open and footsteps muffled by carpet as four women entered the room.
"Mistress, I have brought the three women as you asked," slurred Ayn.
"Thank you, child," said the Holy Mother. "You may leave us now."
"As you wish, Mistress." Ayn bowed low before leaving the room, pulling the door closed behind her.
The elderly midwife who treated Nasreen spoke first of the three grandmothers. "What is to keep her from listening at the latch and feeding every word we speak back to the strigoi-viu?"
"Val, I am not asking you to trust Ayn, only me," said the Holy Mother. "Come, sit by the fire. These walls and door are thick enough to keep sound from trickling out to the hall. I am sure the Procuress can attest to that since she once lived here."
"Aye, they are thick enough to drown out most sounds," said the Procuress. "That still leaves the question, why is a filthy foreign whelp serving as Eyes to the Holy Mother of Adyll?"
"She brings dishonor to this sacred place." The third woman sat down heavily in a chair next to the fire.
"Any more dishonor than checking soldier's nether hair for lice day in and day out as you do, Tati?" scoffed the Holy Mother. "We are all dishonored. To be a woman is dishonor under the Locusts. To be an old woman is even worse."
"I can attest to that," scowled Val. "Did you new Eyes furnish you with wine as well as your black finery and new bed?"
"If she did, I cannot see it." The old woman pointed to the scars where her eyes once were and grinned.
"I hid some before the siege. Let's see if it is still there." The Procuress began rummaging through drawers and cupboards at the far end of the room before returning with a clay bottle covered in cobwebs. "I doubt anyone has been here to find it since. These men, so many empty rooms and yet they make us all sleep in a classroom. And yet they do not even think to enjoy the rooms themselves." She carried the bottle like a trophy to the fireside and uncorked it, taking a long draw before handing it to Val.
The old woman took a gulp of wine and sighed, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. "A taste of when men knew their places. Sweet Lady of Adyll, bless this Procuress for having the foresight to hide the wine before they came!"
"Stop being silly!" Tati waved away the bottle when Val tried to hand it to her. "There are more important things than wine we need to discuss. Dasha, we fear you are being used by the Locusts,"
"I assure you they believe they are using me as well," answered Dasha. "But the dishonor they heap upon the heads of crones leads them to underestimate our cunning."
Val took another pull off the wine bottle before handing it back to the Procuress. "What of the girl, Nasreen? Tell us truly, was that your doing, Dasha?"
"I am innocent in her death," said Dasha. "My Eyes gave her pennyroyal, thinking she would keep the girl from falling pregnant with the High Priest's child. She knew of the herb from our inspections, but she miscalculated the dose. Jul, Goddess help her, thought to help her. It was a terrible accident, and there is nothing we can do to help them now."
"So we are to sit back and allow two more holy women to die at the hands of the strigoi-viu?" asked the Procuress. "As if we have not lost enough already?"
"We can lose so much more than two lives." Dasha's voice cracked with emotion. "There can be no struggle from us. Not yet."
"We keep waiting," said Val. "How much longer must we be patient? Until we are all too old to see the deliverance?"
"Until we know we can win. Where is the wine?" Dasha held out her hand and Val pressed the bottle into it, curling the Holy Mother's fingers around the neck of the bottle. "Now, tell me what has happened since I was taken by the Swarm."
"The High Priest remains cloistered," said the Procuress. "None have seen him since the poisoning."
"I know his state." The Holy Mother took a drink from the bottle. "He suffered apoplexy, and is left little more than a cripple."
"Praise the Lady for that. He is a horrid man," said Val. "He was the one who ordered the defilement of Nasreen's body, storing it away like the barbarians do. She should be left on her family's cliff ledge so the birds can take her soul to heaven."
"How are the temple women?" asked Dasha. "Are there any signs of pregnancy? Have any been keeping company with the men of the Swarm beyond what is required?"
"None," said Val. "Most wish to stay hidden, especially after Nasreen's death. Except the little bookmaker."
Dasha's blood ran cold. "The librarian? What of her? She can be rebellious and headstrong at times. What has she done?"
"We have not seen her since Nasreen's death," said the Procuress. "She must have run away."
"Run away?" The bottle slipped from Dasha's fingers and shattered on the floor, but she took no notice. "How could she run away with all of you watching? None have escaped the capital since it fell, yet you have lost one girl?"
"If she has escaped this hell, then we have something to learn from her," said Tati.
"Do you know she fled the city? Or are you guessing?" demanded Dasha.
"Why are you so concerned over one child?" asked the Procuress. "When you are so willing to let another be put to the sword? Didn't the little one serve as your Eyes once, Priestess?"
"She did. She is a weak little thing," said Dasha. "I promised her mother I would keep her safe. I am responsible for her."
"As you are responsible for us all," said the Procuress. "Even Jul. Even your other Eyes. If the little librarian is free, I wish her nothing more than peace and a long life far away from here."
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