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 Grandmothers Chapter 123: Rising Tides Chapter 124: Dawn of Longest Night Chapter 125: One Blood Chapter 126: Winter Flowers Chapter 127: Trust Chapter 128: Bearer of SorrowsChapter 124: Dawn of Longest Night
Wrapped in furs, Zayaan and Radu set off alone on horseback hours before dawn, leaving the rest of the slow moving caravan in their wake. The two men rode in silence, the only sound the muffled crunch of their horse's hooves in the snow.
The night ride felt as close to freedom as Zayaan remembered from the days before the conscript camp. The snow seemed to glow from within under the heavy moon hanging low in the sky, and every breath of cold air brought with it the scent of evergreen trees. Zayaan lifted his eyes to the sky to see the familiar constellations his father taught him scattered across the sky: the huntress and her dogs, the desert mouse, the seven daughters, the seven sons, and across the far horizon like glittering sands spread on dark rocks, the swath of densely packed stars known as Aaysha's milk. Below them, snow drifts covered the mountain landscape like the dunes of the Narim's great desert. Zayaan felt a deep longing for something he did not want to name as he watched the snow skitter along the top of each drift. He pushed the feeling down, along with all the other memories of his old life as the two riders dismounted at the bottom of the last hill to hike unseen to its crest.
"Mountains in winter are beautiful and cruel, Tea Maker." Radu's words rose in clouds of vapor as he spoke. "I grew up in a place much like this one. My mother used to tell me stories of children made from snow who melted away in Spring no matter how much care their parents gave them, and of lusty witches who would lure men away from their homes, to strip them of their clothes and leave them for dead far above the tree line."
"How far from here are your mountains?" asked Zayaan.
"Farther than you can imagine," answered Radu. "If the caravan ever catches up with us, I might take you back with me one day."
Zayaan looked over his shoulder at the direction from which they came. "I see them in the distance."
"The God-King wants a display of power this morning, and he will have it if I have to kill every one of these slow moving soldiers myself before the gates of the capital," growled Radu as he slid down the hill towards his waiting horse. "Wait here. I will not be made late by a bunch of pack animals!"
Zayaan laughed to himself as his mentor galloped off towards the slow moving caravan. For the first time since the gallu and his vision in the canyon, he was alone. He turned back to face the flickering lights of the capital. From this distance, it appeared just as it had in his childhood when the Narim would camp outside the city for holy festivals. He could make out the temple complex at the center of the city by the torches along the walls, and the charcoal fires at each corner. Above the temple to the north lay the palace. The place where Lilua was kept, and where Takri lived alongside the King as Lord Prince.
Lord Prince. The same title as Radu. Images from the past forced its way into his mind: Takri laughing, face smeared with sticky purple, shoving handfuls of sweet berries into his cousin's mouth. Takri hiding the children in the rocks near the camp when the Swarm came. Takri's pointing finger when the commander asked him to show who was weak, and then the one called Lord Prince who came to the winter camp riding alongside the man who killed their families.
Takri is nothing compared to Radu.
He could hear the sounds of the caravan and his mentor's muted curses coming from the base of the hill. Men feared and obeyed Radu.
"Tea Maker!" called Radu from the bottom of the hill. "Come get your horse!"
Zayaan slid down the hill and joined his mentor.
Radu grinned at him. "It is time, Tea Maker. Tonight we will dine at the God-King's table, with several maidens to pour our wine and warm our beds with their pillowy thighs! I can think of worse ways to spend a Longest Night!" He dug his heels into the sides of his horse and took off up the hill at top speed, Zayaan following close behind.
As they crested the hilltop, dawn's fingertips, frostbitten purple in the cold of Longest Night, stretched across the horizon to touch the snow with glowing pink. Below, horns sounded from above the city gates.
"The war horns sound for us, Tea Maker!" cried Radu. "They welcome us as the heroes we are, bringing food to the starving people and hope for Adyll!"
Together, they rode down the slope towards the city, stopping only once they reached the gate, the supply caravan following at a slower pace behind.
"I am the Lord Prince Radu of the First Men, Hero of the Uruq, and Favored of the God-King!" called Radu. "I come bearing gifts of abundance from every corner of the Locust's empire that no man should be hungry in Adyll ever again. Open the gates, in the name of the God-King Mahleck!"
A cheer went up from the soldiers stationed at the gate, and a moment later bells began sounding across the city as the gates slowly swung open to admit the arrivals.
"I told you we would be hailed as heroes," grinned Radu. "Don't be surprised by anything you see inside, Tea Maker. This is only the beginning of what the God-King has in store for us and for the people of Adyll."
Inside the city gates, a crowd began to form. Emaciated men and boys thronged the city streets, wrapped in winter clothing grown too large for them as the famine progressed. Zayaan rode next to Radu, his hand on his dagger at his belt as his mentor taught him. Hollow eyed boys pulled at their legs, begging for food, as soldiers did their best to keep them at bay.
The capital had changed under the rule of the Locusts. The shops which lined the streets were shuttered, no merchants plied their wares or called for customers to enjoy a warm meal or a steaming cup of tea. And everywhere he looked, he saw only men. In the windows above the street he would sometimes catch a glimpse of dark shrouded figures, but as soon as he could recognize them as human forms they were gone. The women of Adyll, once proud and powerful, turned to ghosts before his eyes.
By the time they reached the temple, the caravan could barely move for the press of the mob. A few times, Zayaan and Radu had to duck to avoid being hit by rocks thrown by unseen assailants. It seemed not all saw them as heroes to be welcomed, despite the food they brought.
Ahead of them, the gates to the temple swung open and a figure emerged leaning heavily on a golden staff topped with a garnet eyed locust with wings outstretched. The figure raised his arm in blessing to the two princes, while another priest intoned in a voice meant to reach the entirety of the gathered populace, "The blessing of the God-King is upon you, heroes! The mercy of the God-King rides with you, for your burdens will ease the suffering of the faithful and feed the virtuous!"
Radu dismounted, and motioned for Zayaan to follow suit. The two princes knelt before the priest and touched their foreheads to the cold pavement before him. Radu turned his head to Zayaan for a moment and winked before rising again and addressing the priests. "The God-King's abundance shall feed all through the perils of winter. He is the light on this darkest day!"
"Come, and we shall prepare the Feast of Longest Night!" slurred the older priest, his face drooping to one side.
"Come! Let us prepare the Feast of Longest Night!" echoed the other priests as they ushered the caravan inside the walls of the temple away from the mob outside.
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