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 DaysChapter 82: A Fool's Errand
As he had expected, Takri found his chamber empty when he returned. He sat down on his bed to wait for Yelena, his head full of dark thoughts of the children of Adyll starving to death with food just out of reach. Even when the shipments arrived from the lands across the desert it would be kept stored away from hungry mouths until Longest Night.
Zayaan would be coming along with the food. And another Lord Prince from Mahleck’s vast household.
Takri lay back onto the bed and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. I can't fix this. I am not the smart one. Zayaan and Lilua are the smart ones. Not me. By the time Zayaan gets here people will already be dying. And Lilua is a mute shadow of herself. I can't even see her to speak through sign. I told Zayaan I would help her, and I failed. What have I done since I arrived in the city? I fell in love with a temple rose and then brought her to humiliation at a monster’s feast. I brought the holy Zora to her death at Mahleck’s hand. And now am I to watch as innocents starve?
There has to be a way to get food to the people.
A scratching sound from the closet made Takri sit upright. A moment later, Yelena emerged, covered in cobwebs and dust.
"It worked," she said. "The passage leads behind all the chambers in this wing. Once I found the right one, I could hear every word."
"Then you know they plan to starve the city," said Takri.
"And of your temple prostitute," said Yelena. "Why did you not tell me of her?"
"Nasreen?" asked Takri. "They spoke of her?"
"Among other things." Yelena began pulling strands of cobwebs from her hair. "You should have told me about her. I knew there was someone you cared for."
"I am doing my best to forget about her," said Takri. "Mahleck brought her to me the night you showed me the passage in the closet. He humiliated her in front of me and the high priest. She was terrified of him, but he sent her back to the temple. I decided to never seek her out again to keep her safe."
"They sent her out on the streets to die in the cold," said Yelena.
Takri's stomach dropped. The image of Nasreen's frozen corpse lying on the street swam in front of his eyes. "Is she..."
Yelena dropped to her knees in front of Takri and took his hands. "I do not know, but Mahleck believes she lives. The Holy Mother has not inquired after her."
Takri was on the edge of panic. "The Holy Mother may believe Nasreen is still here at the palace. Why would she care for the wellbeing of one girl?"
"You misunderstand the sacred importance of the Lady's prostitutes," said Yelena. "They are special charges under the protection of the Holy Mother.”
Takri stood up. “I need my cloak. I will head to the temple now and find her.”
“Wait!” said Yelena. “Let me finish. If the Holy Mother is not asking after Nasreen’s wellbeing, then she knows where she is. Mahleck and the high priestess have some sort of arrangement. Mahleck brings her here for counsel on occasion. He has vowed to never kill anyone who dwells within the temple. "
"But we can't be sure," said Takri, standing up and grabbing his cloak. "And we cannot trust the vow of someone who would starve children in the middle of winter. I must go to the temple to find Nasreen. Now."
"Stop," said Yelena. "You do not know everything I have heard tonight. There is more. Mahleck gave Baraz instructions to keep Nasreen away from you, to confine her if necessary. Baraz will be looking for Nasreen as soon as he returns to the temple. If you are there it will only make it worse for her."
"I will take her away," said Takri. "We can run, get out of the city. I know how to survive in the wilderness better than this place. We can survive together."
"You are right about one thing. You do not know how to survive in the city." Yelena stood up and looked him in the eyes. "They will kill you before you leave the temple gates. And they will take Nasreen alive, cut out her tongue, and send her back to the brothel to serve the men of the Swarm in silence."
"I must know if she lives," said Takri.
"Even if it means more pain for her?" asked Yelena. "If she is indeed dead, they cannot hurt her. But if she lives, would you bring her more pain? Would you take that selfish risk when there are other ways to know her fate?"
"What ways?" asked Takri.
"I have a plan," said Yelena. "Your cousin's bodyguards, are the sons of the high priestess. They were bodyguards to Queen Mila before the strigoi-viu took her life. I do not believe they have any love in their heart for their new King."
"I do not trust anyone who would act as procurer for a child bride," said Takri. "I would sooner put my sword in their side than trust them."
"Then we should ask your cousin what she thinks," said Yelena. "I have access to the harem as a noble-born woman of Adyll."
"Noble-born woman? You are even younger than she is," said Takri. "She cannot speak. How would you even ask?"
"I can still speak," exclaimed Yelena. "And your cousin is mute. Not deaf. And unless your cousin is even more foolish than you, she can answer yes and no through the simplest of gestures - a nod of the head."
Takri let out a deep sigh. She was right. "How soon can you speak with my cousin?"
"As soon as morning," said Yelena. "At this hour, Mahleck will be summoning her to his chambers at any moment. And I am not fit to be seen outside this room until I have bathed and dressed. Give me two days to get news from the temple before you try your fool's errand. If Nasreen lives, promise me you will not rush off like a besotted idiot without thinking of the consequences to her first."
Takri put his cloak down. "Nasreen is more precious to me than my own life. I wish her no harm."
There are other things I heard through the wall I must tell you about. Mahleck is searching for something in the temple library. Something very old."
"Like the scroll Baraz was so proud of," said Takri.
"Until Mahleck began questioning who else had seen it," said Yelena. "Whatever was in the scroll scared Mahleck enough to throw it in the fire. There is a young girl Baraz has working in the library. She knows whatever story it contains. As does the Holy Mother. It is no wonder the Locusts declared it illegal for women to read. He wants no one to know whatever story the scroll held."
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