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 123: Rising Tides
Aisha woke with her flint gripped tightly in her right hand, the feeling of rising water lapping at her knees instead of her feet. She felt about for the oil lamp she stashed above her head in the cave wall. Finding it, she struck the flint against the rock and lit the lamp's wick, river water now rising past her thighs. She secured the scroll case further up the cave wall and climbed upwards away from the salt water.
Tides. She remembered her father teaching her how the Moon pulled the waters of the ocean towards her in a perpetual dance. If she was close enough to the ocean to feel the tides, the need to find a way upward was even more dire than she originally thought. Following the river's currents as it wound its way to the sea would lead only to death.
She turned towards the river and held her lamp upwards to examine the cave ceiling, cold water swirling about her waist, but she found only rock worn smooth by the ebb and flow of the tides. readjusting her position, she climbed a little farther upwards, making sure to keep her precious scroll case out of the water. She remained there until the water started to recede.
When was the last time I saw a passage leading off from the river?
The journey through the caves lay cloudy in her mind. As hard as she tried, she could not bring to mind any other passageways, at least not any in the last few sleeps. She could not go back to the holy lake under the temple now with only one small meal remaining.
I did not starve above in the temple, and I will not starve to death here. I have eaten more and better since I entered these caves than I ever did while I lived in its walls. If I must be hungry for a few days, I will. But I will not go back.
She glanced down, looking for the food she put aside before she slept, but it was gone, carried away by the tidal currents. At her feet her map of the deep waters fluttered in the current, bleeding faint trails of ink and charcoal into the river. She wedged her lamp into the rocks above before reaching beneath the surface to fish out the soggy parchment.
She spread the parchment out on the rocks to dry and examined the map. All place names were washed away, leaving only the faded smudges of lake, river, and coastline. She traced the line of the river once again, trying to find a way out that was not the ocean.
There. At the very edge of where river and ocean met was a faint line, thinner than a hair, leading from the river to a small village, the name lost to the river's currents. I must be close now. She followed the line with her index finger, and in the process removed what remained of her planned route.
Panic rose in her throat, causing her to choke back sobs.
What if it isn't a way out? What if it is only a line left by the water? Was there ever a line?
Does it matter if there is? I have nowhere else to go but forward. Death may lie ahead, but it is certain to lie behind me. I cannot stop. I will not stop.
I am the last of the Queens of Adyll, a daughter of the Goddess. I must go on, For my mother, for my father, for my sister Nasreen. For the people of Adyll. For myself. There may be no way out. There may be only the ocean's waves to greet me. But my grandsire Thought lived among those waters, and if they take me, I will be happier than I was captive among the Locusts, for I will be with my sweet Nasreen and my mother and father in the bosom of the Lady.
She felt the water around her legs change from cold to warm as the current righted itself.
I have half a day until the water reaches this height again. Six hours until it reaches it lowest point. I can swim if I need to, the wax will hold. I must believe it will hold. She strapped the scroll case across her shoulders, and took her lamp in hand, stowing the flint in her pocket. Leaving the map behind, she stepped down off the wall, her feet finding purchase on what was once the shore of the river. She tamped down another round of panic as she felt the water come up to her chest, buoying up the case on her back. The wax will hold.
She took her first step forward, lamp held high above her head to light her way. The single flame reflected back from the surface of the river, sending rippling patterns of light onto the ceiling and the rock wall she used to mark the shallowest part of the river. The water lifted her, and the current propelled her forward with each step into the darkness and whatever lay beyond.
I will not stop until I am dead or I am free.
Find your way!
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