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 DesireChapter 34: The Hunt
"My lord! Wake up!"
Such a small high-pitched voice. If Zayaan and Lilua are messing with my things again...
"Wake up!"
This time the words were accompanied by a shove. Takri opened his eyes and immediately regretted his action. His head was throbbing. Yelena kept shaking him which only exacerbated his headache. The night before was murky, but he did remember drinking far too many glasses of wine from Yelena's pitcher which seemed to magically refill itself.
They were still in the throne room. He was sitting on the floor, propped up in one corner, Yelena under his arm.
"My lord, I must return to the women's quarters."
"Of course, Yelena," said Takri.
"You kept your promise to keep me safe. Thank you," she whispered, kissing him lightly on the cheek.
Takri managed a small smile and nod as Yelena hurried out the door with the other wine maidens. He looked around the room. The other princes were in the same condition he was. Some were still asleep at tables, others on the tables, some on the floor. He sat up and immediately wished he hadn't. The arm Yelena had slept under was completely numb, and the place behind his eyes throbbed in time with his heartbeat. He also had an urgent need to relieve himself. As he stood up, his stomach lurched.
Today is not a good day to hunt.
"Drink," the Procuress offered Nasreen her morning cup of drug-laced wine. For a brief moment, Nasreen considered refusing. If Takri came to the brothel she wanted to be fully aware of him. But the risk was too great. She drank from the glass and said her prayers, adding one for Takri and another for her young friend back in the dormitory.
Poor little Aisha. A young woman coming into herself through this rite of passage should have her mother to guide her. This should be a time of celebration, but now it seemed to be a mark of shame for all women. Just like being a Temple prostitute – just like everything about being a woman now.
We never treated men as tainted, thought Nasreen. Her shoulders loosened as she felt the sedative start to take effect. Women are sacred because we create life like the Goddess does. We need men to create that life within us. Her hand fluttered to her belly, imagining creating a life inside her from Takri's seed, and then trying to raise that life under the rule of the Locust.
They hate us. Her hand dropped back to her side. They hate anything that reminds them of Her.
The day drew on, with no men of the Swarm calling on the brothel. There had been talk of a hunt at the palace. Her mind began to wander to the story Aisha had told her from the hidden scroll.
How can the Goddess have a husband? Why would she have need of a man if she was All in All? We all came from her womb, which she needed no man to fill. She did have pleasure, but that was before men even came to the world. We bear the form of the Goddess, and we have her lifegiving womb. The only difference between us and the Lady is that we do require the seed of men to bear children. This is why She is The Goddess and not simply a woman. Even if it is nothing, I will see if Aisha will read it to me tonight. Any story of The Lady would bring hope, hope that something will change.
Takri gives me hope. Maybe it will not always be like this.
One hundred princes led horses from the stables down to the palace hunting grounds, a large area to the west of the capital. Most were still suffering the aftereffects of the previous evening's festivities. Everyone was in a foul mood.
The Locust King himself was waiting for them, mounted atop his black horse.
"My princes! I promised you a hunt with prey befitting your status. Today you shall not hunt boar, or deer, or fox, but something much more cunning. The most treacherous of creatures known to man - a woman with rebellion in her heart. She is known as Vasi, taken to my court as a young girl and raised under my own roof! Yet still, the treachery of woman knows no bounds. She is a heretic and an assassin. Bring her to me!"
The call and response began among the princes, newly roused to the hunt by their leader.
“One!”
“God!”
“One!”
“Man!”
“One!”
“Lord!”
“One!”
“King!”
“One!”
“Swarm!”
“One!”
“LOCUST!”
From the west, Takri could see the highest peaks were now concealed behind rapidly dropping clouds. It was becoming colder as well.
"She is dressed in red robes to show her betrayal," called Mahleck from the front of the crowd. "She will be easy to spot. Now, enjoy the hunt!"
Mahleck blew the hunter's horn as the princes began their ride into the forest.
This is not a good day to hunt, thought Takri again, looking again at the lowering clouds. And it is never a good day to hunt people.
Find your way!
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