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 GiftChapter 106: The Strigoi-Viu's Gift
War horns sounded an alarm across the palace. In front of the stables, Takri mounted his horse next to Mahleck as members of the Swarm assembled around them.
“My God and King, what is it?” asked Takri.
“Trouble at the temple.”
“Another riot?”
“No. It’s Baraz.”
The two men galloped through the streets of the capital with a small group of soldiers on horseback following behind them. When they reached the Temple, the gates were already open with heavily armed guards at every entrance and egress. Archers patrolled above, ensuring no temple resident escaped. Mahleck and Takri dismounted in front of the sanctuary near the high priest’s apartments.
“Lord Prince, at my side!” commanded Mahleck. He dropped his voice to a whisper. “What you see tonight you will not speak of to anyone other than me. Do you understand?”
“Yes, my God and King.” A shiver fell down Takri’s back as he fell into step alongside the tyrant.
The smell of vomit and blood greeted them as they opened the door to High Priest’s apartments. Inside, priests gathered around the leader of their order attempting to hold him as he convulsed on the floor. One of them rushed to greet Mahleck, bowing low before him. “Holiest Locust, it was poison. His evening meal -”
“Leave us! Now!” Mahleck commanded.
Without a word, the priests obeyed, leaving the three men alone in the room except for a small figure lying in a pool of blood in front of the fire. Takri’s heart dropped as he recognized Nasreen’s crumpled form. Blood and vomit soaked her robes, yet she still lived.
Mahleck sat down at the table with the remains of the stew and wine, rubbing his face in annoyance at the vignette before him; his Lord Prince and whore in front of the fire, and his high priest lying on the floor, his face contorted in a death’s head grin. Baraz relaxed for a moment and went limp.
“It is too close to Longest Night to appoint a new high priest, Baraz.” Mahleck picked up a knife from the table and turned it over in his hands. “Given your poor judgement as of late, I am beginning to think I may need a replacement for you sooner than later. Taking your Lord Prince’s cast-off whore – what were you thinking? Perhaps it would be better if you died.”
Baraz’s eyes rolled back into his head and he began seizing again, which seemed to only fuel his King’s annoyance. Mahleck stood up, knife still in hand and crossed the distance from table to priest in two strides.
“Look at me, Baraz!”
As if he could hear his master, the priest again relaxed. When he opened his eyes, he saw his King kneeling beside him, knife in hand. A moan escaped Baraz before he lost consciousness once again.
Mahleck glanced back at the Lord Prince as he pierced his own hand with the tip of the knife. “I take care of my household, Takri. Never forget that what I would do for one member, I would do for any other.”
Forcing Baraz’s jaw open with one hand, Mahleck let two drops of blood fall from the other into the priest’s mouth. For a split second, Baraz’s eyes turned black.
Takri held Nasreen tightly to his chest, horrified as the priest’s unnatural scream echoed through the apartment. “What did you do?
“I gave him his life back,” said Mahleck. “Just as I would do for any member of my family should death come for them. Just as I would do for you.”
“Can you help her?” asked Takri. “Nasreen… she ate the same food.”
“No. My gifts are not for whores. You knew she was with child, didn’t you? No matter. Chances are it was not yours.”
“I love her,” begged Takri. “Please. Help her.”
“One day you will understand no woman is not worthy of your love. And you will thank me for refusing your request. If you must do something, take her to the women of the temple, perhaps they will have a cure,” said Mahleck. “Poison is a woman’s weapon, and there is no cruelty like women’s cruelty. I know what it is to be entranced and controlled by one of their sex, so I shall look past this transgression. I will not be as forgiving if you stumble again.”
Baraz groaned and sat up, clutching his head.
“Both of you owe me your lives. You have always owed me your lives. I handpicked you and lifted you up to serve at my side, as members of my own household, as my family.” Mahleck clenched his fists in rage. “And yet both of you have sullied yourselves with the poisons of women! Baraz, you with your mouth and stomach, and Takri with your mind and heart! Neither of you are worthy of my presence, much less my gifts!”
The High Priest lifted his hands to his and brought back his master’s blood on his fingers. His voice shook with emotion as he said, “My God and King! I am not worthy! One day, I had hoped to give my life for you and be raised, but this…”
“Quiet, priest!” said Mahleck. “You were not dead, and I did not give you the fullness of my gift, only a taste so that you may serve me a bit longer. You are not worthy to walk with me through eternity. Neither of you are! Do not thank me for your life, thank me for my mercy.”
“Forgive me, my God and King!” sobbed Baraz. “Forgive me…”
“Prove yourself worthy, and I will consider it,” said Mahleck. “Takri, you best take your plaything back to her kind if you wish her to live longer than tonight. I already smell her death in the air.”
Takri wrapped Nasreen in his cloak and fled into the night, heart pounding against his chest. He accosted the first soldier he found outside the priest’s apartments. “Take me to the women’s quarters! Now!”
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