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 56: Cracks in the Walls
A rap on the chamber door brought Takri out of his reverie and Yelena from her closet. She scurried past the tub, eyes averted before he could even rise from the bath. She opened the door only a crack and addressed the servant outside.
"Why do you disturb my master?" she whispered, gesturing for Takri to remain in the tub, which he ignored.
"The God King Mahleck summons your master to dine with him as part of the royal household this evening. Our divine master misses the presence of the Lord Prince over these past days and inquires as to his health. Surely he is not in need of more rest? Shall I tell the God King that his favorite is still sleeping?" said the slave at the door.
"You misunderstand me, sir. My master is not sleeping. You disturbed his divine right to take his pleasure with his body slave," she whispered. "I will convey the God King's message. Please reassure our divine master that the Lord Prince Takri looks forward to enjoying his company at this evening's meal."
"Very well, body slave," said the servant. "I shall report that the Lord Prince Takri is in very good health and is enjoying the King's gift thoroughly. He shall be pleased."
Yelena nodded, then closed and locked the door. She crouched down and pressed her ear to the keyhole, listening to the sound of the servant's footsteps echoing down the corridor outside. She straightened herself, keeping her face averted from Takri's dripping body next to the tub, a linen towel wrapped around his waist.
"You heard what he said?" asked Yelena in a low voice. "You are to dine with the royal household tonight. You must appear strong and cruel and unafraid. A mirror reflection of the strigoi-viu."
"I heard everything, Yelena," he said. "Thank you."
"Never thank me, my Lord and Prince." Yelena turned back to him and looked directly in his eyes. "Never thank me. We are walking a dangerous path with death on every side. The strigoi-viu's hunger is insatiable. It is best if we both remember our places while Mahleck rules Adyll. I am nothing more than a body meant to serve you. Nothing more. There is no room for modesty or chaste love between any man and woman in the Locust King's world, master. In these walls, we can pretend life is as it was before, but if someone - anyone - hears you thank your property, we shall both be consumed by him."
"No one can hear us here. We are safe," said Takri. "The walls are more than a foot thick. The door is made from hard wood and iron."
"We are safer here than anywhere else, but nowhere is safe. Come, I will show you. I found this while you sat in the bath," said Yelena. "There may be more of these places. I have heard stories from the older servants, but up until now I did not believe them."
She walked past him, careful to keep her eyes averted from his state of undress. He followed her into the closet where she slept. She pointed at the wall on the side nearest the fireplace.
"Look closely," she said. "Do you see the plaster and the crack where the closet wall has pulled back from the stone?"
Takri bent forward to examine the crack while Yelena fetched her lit taper from the back of the closet. A two fingers' width gap ran the length of the wall from floor to ceiling. Takri could insert his hand as deep as his thumb without feeling stone behind it.
"Close the door," said Yelena, holding the candle closer to the wall. Takri pulled the door closed behind him. The flame from Yelena's candle began flickering, bending itself away from the crack. "See?" she said. "There is air flowing from behind the plaster. If it was plaster against rock, the candle would not move."
"You think there is a passageway behind the wall?" asked Takri. "A listening space?"
"The old kitchen servants who grew up here told me when they were children they would find spaces between the walls to hide when they were playing games," said Yelena. "When I saw my candle flicker when I brought it in, I realized this might be one of those places. The walls are thick, but maybe not as thick as we think they are."
"How do we know someone isn't back there right now?" said Takri, dropping his voice to a whisper.
"I didn't hear anything when I put my ear to the wall. The Locusts may not know of these places yet, but we do not know that for certain. We must be cautious with our conversations, even in this room. Anyone could be listening at any time. And we can trust no one but ourselves." Yelena opened the door to the closet. "Finish your bath. You must appear perfect before the strigoi-viu tonight. And right now you still reek of fear, smoke, and sweat."
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