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 51: The Color of Blood
Vasi... Morning Star... Darkness has overtaken the sun. The Evening Star hangs low upon the horizon in the west. A new star rises above the desert.
In the farthest section of the cave Vasi emerged from a steaming pool of water, her hair the same strange yellow color as the other oracles. Water droplets on her dark skin reflected firelight from across the room. Above her, Lina dangled from the ceiling on a strand of silk.
We are the same, Vasi. We are made of both light and dark. We shall walk in the Betweens together, you and I.
"She is a powerful guide, Vasi." The Day Star helped her step out of the dark waters of the pool. "The spiders of Adyll clothe the royal house. Their venom allows the oracles a glimpse into other worlds when the way is not clear. But she has choseny to be your guide, a stranger in this land. You should feel honored to be welcomed by such a being."
"She says she spun the web from which the stars hang," said Vasi.
"Our guides do not lie. Put these on. Outside the cave, winter approaches." The older woman handed her clothing similar to the woolen grey garments she wore. Peasant clothing colored green like the moss of the forest floor. "You may call me Oksana. Our sister by the fire is Miri. When we three are alone, we use the names given to us by our mothers."
Vasi looked at the clothing. It somehow felt wrong as she held it in her hands. "Must I wear green?"
"What color do you desire to wear, young one?" asked Oksana. "It is tradition for the Zarinya to wear the color of life."
"I wish to wear red. The color of blood," said Vasi. The words tumbled from her mouth in a torrent, almost without thought. "The same color as the blood of my people who died in the forest, and the blood of the people alive in this mountain. Both call out for vengeance against the cursed one. I am the instrument of that vengeance."
"Red is a color that will not remain hidden for long, young one."
"I will not remain hidden." Vasi began washing her red servants' garments which marked her as property of the Swarm. "The All-Mother calls me to be a voice that will not be silenced. She calls me to be Her warrior. I will not hide in caves and speak only in riddles."
"As the Goddess guides you, Vasi," said Oksana, joining Miri at the fire. "She has called us each for a purpose. This is only the beginning of yours. But for your own benefit, do not forsake a warm cloak simply because of its color."
Lina’s voice echoed in her head as the new Morning Star scrubbed the mud from her clothes. Righteousness and vengeance are not fires that will keep you alive through winter, young one. Longest Night is not many moons away. The spider scurried across the rock ceiling towards the entrance to the cave where she began spinning a web. You will have time to wear your anger once the snows have passed.
It is colder here than the forest, Vasi thought to herself. Perhaps Lina and the old woman are right. She wrung out the water from her robes and then donned the rough green garments offered by the eldest oracle.
A flash of blue light illuminated the desert beyond the mouth of the cave, rendering Lina's many-legged form in sillhouette before overwhelming it in brightness.
The voice of the Evening Star echoed through the cave with her final prophecy.
Captivity. Transformation. Emergence.
She lives among you.
The Blood of the Goddess.
He lives below you.
The Love of the Goddess.
His thirst is unending.
The Blood shall destroy the destroyer.
The cycle starts anew.
And then silence. And darkness.
Moments passed before Oksana stumbled to the cave entrance, weeping. "The Zora. She is gone. Our sister is gone. Few can stand and face death without fear as the last Zora did. How do I pretend to be worthy of her title?"
"Oksana, did you feel it as she passed? Her ecstasy?" asked Miri, her face serene and peaceful. "She saw the All-Mother, dressed in blue with arms outstretched to receive her."
"It is as she wanted," said the older oracle. "Miri, Vasi, did you see her triumph? The fear in the eyes of the usurper?"
"I could see the fire while she burned," said Vasi. "Blue flames that leapt like dancers and spoke the prophecy with her. Multitudes calling for vengeance."
"Yes. Even the dead call for his destruction," said Miri.
"It is done," said Oksana. "On this Day of Between, Zora the Evening Star spoke her final words of truth to Adyll and struck fear in the heart of the strigoi-viu. Rising Morning Star, this is why you chose red! Red, the color of blood. The Blood of the Goddess that shall destroy the destroyer!"
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