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 Sorrows Chapter 129: Blood and Water Chapter 130: FailuresChapter 130: Failures
Dasha smelled blood on the cold wind pulling at her robes as she stood behind Mahleck and the high priest.
"Come, Mother," said Ayn in a low voice, taking her charge's elbow and steering her away from the spectacle at the top of the stairs. "Let us find some warmth inside. You have done well."
"What of the girl and the cook?" asked Dasha.
"Justice is done, just as the God-King promised," said Ayn. "They will trouble us no longer."
The Holy Mother came to a forceful stop and turned towards her guide. "My Eyes are to serve as sight. Do not spare me what I have wrought. I am not a child, and I can smell the blood as clearly as anyone else can see it."
"They are both dead," said Ayn. "The Lord Prince Takri put his blade to the throat of your former Eyes while she confessed to poisoning his lover. The Lord Prince Radu beheaded the woman who cooked the food."
The former High Priestess inhaled a shuddering breath. "Take me to my sons, as the God-King promised."
Ayn once again took the old woman's elbow and led her along the outside wall of the sanctuary to a servant's door guarded by a member of the Swarm who let the two of them inside.
"Can you still weep with no eyes?" asked Ayn.
"I would not weep for either of them," scoffed the Heresiarch. "They brought this upon themselves."
"Of course, Mother." Ayn led her along the hallway leading to the old woman's apartments. "I thought perhaps your reunion with your sons would bring you tears of joy."
"I stopped crying long before you were born," said the old woman. "Tears accomplish nothing."
Ayn stopped at the door to the old woman's apartments and fished out a key from within her robes. Unlocking the door, she led her charge inside.
Floryan... Luka... The scent of her sons washed over Dasha like the smell of rain in spring.
"Mother."
The sound of Luka's voice nearly brought her to her knees in grief. She felt Ayn's hand fall away from her side, and her retreating footsteps followed by the sound of the key turning in her apartment's door. "Is she gone?"
"Yes," answered Floryan. She could tell he was standing farther off, next to the fireplace as Luka led her to a chair.
Both my sons. For all his cruelty, the Locust King keeps his promises.
"No embrace for your mother, Floryan?" she asked as Luka lifted her veil and kissed her cheek, then returned to his chair.
Floryan reluctantly left his place next to the fire and embraced his mother. She had grown frail and small since last he saw her. Her gnarled hands reached up to his neck to draw him in closer, but let go in surprise when she reached his hair.
"Your hair! What have they done to your beautiful hair?"
Floryan pulled away from his mother. "All those who guard the Court of Women are shorn as we are."
"I have visited the palace often since you were taken from me," said the old woman. "Why have you not come to me? I could have spoken with the King for you."
"We are not allowed to stray from our posts, Mother," said Luka. "To do so would be to risk our heads, or those of the women we protect."
"Protect?" asked the Holy Mother. "You protect them? From who? Who would dare to touch the brides of the God-King? Surely you could have found the time."
"Is this why you struck a deal with the strigoi-viu, Mother?" asked Floryan. "To scold us for not risking our lives to catch a glimpse of you in the palace halls?"
"I simply wished to be with my sons again," said the Holy Mother. "To be together as a family."
Floryan stalked back to the fire and sat down on the floor, his head leaning back against the stone wall. "Family, Mother? How many other deals have you made with the strigoi-viu, deals which ended our family line entirely?"
"I did not know he would do such a thing!" cried the old woman, her body shaking. "Our family line would have continued on long before if you had only obeyed your mother. Both of you bear responsibility for that, not I!"
Luka shrunk further into his chair, trying his best to blend into the shadows.
"Do not blame us for what your eternal lust for power has wrought, Mother," said Floryan. "We did all that you asked. I gave up Yaril for you. I chose the life you forced upon me rather than the man I loved."
"You still failed to give me what I wanted," said the Holy Mother. "What we needed. What the country needed. All of this could have been averted! The Locust King would have been defeated if one of you had managed to do what I asked."
"There is no pleasing you!" Florian slammed his fist into the stone floor beneath him.
"Your unnatural desires might have kept you from finishing the task, and I forgive you for your weakness." She turned her face towards the chair where Luka sat in silence. "But you, Luka. You could have saved us all if you only tried to win her affections. You both were the most beautiful men in Adyll, graced by the Goddess Herself with strength and intelligence. I placed you in the positions closest to Mila before she even ascended the throne - her personal bodyguard. Yet Mila chose another, your dear friend Pytr. How did you allow this to happen? With either of you as King, I could have a granddaughter to mold and shape to lead the country as it should be led. But instead, I was given one son who loved men and another who does his best to blend into the walls!"
"She loved Pytr, Mother," said Luka, his voice shaking. "She loved him from the start. And he loved her. There was nothing to be done."
"There is always something to be done," said the Holy Mother. "Even now. And you shall help me."
"No," said Floryan. "We are done helping you, Mother. If you wish for pawns instead of sons, you will have no sons at all."
"You say no to the only chance to redeem this country from the hand of the Locusts?" said the Holy Mother. "You say no to making all the sacrifices of our people worthwhile, to setting them upon the right path once again?"
"You mean putting yourself in a position of power once more?" sneered Floryan. "It seems you are navigating the systems of the Locusts quite well without our help."
She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Princess Irinya lives." A smile spread across the old woman's face as she imagined the shock on her sons' faces.
"If the Princess lives, then I wish her peace and a long life," said Floryan. "But Luka and I would not bed a child even if we were able to sire children."
"Quiet your filthy mouth! I had her here, in my hands. In the temple, molding her, teaching her, treating her as if she were my own daughter." She twisted her robes between her gnarled fingers. "Finally, I would be able to leave my legacy!"
"And where is she now?" asked Luka.
"Gone, and with her the future of our people. I need you to find her, before the Locust King does, or all is lost."
Find your way!
Resources
WHO WE ARE
LEGAL
Get the news
Listen to our Podcast
Our Allies
