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 PebblesChapter 83: The Little Ghost
Shortly after sunrise, Yelena veiled herself and left the confines of her master's chambers to make her way down silent hallways to the Court of Women. Once the eunuchs guarding the doors recognized her, they allowed her inside locking the door behind her.
Yelena had not set foot inside the Court since the day Mahleck gifted her to his newest Lord Prince as a body slave. The humid air inside felt thick and oppressive, a reminder that no matter how beautiful her surroundings, this place was only a prison. She immediately rid herself of her veil.
At this hour, only a few residents of the Court of Women were awake. Most lay abed until closer to midday. This is the life of a plaything, Yelena thought to herself. At least as wine maidens, we left this place to serve Princes. The King's brides never leave.
Except the one I need to find.
"Yelena? Is that you?"
Yelena followed the sound of the voice upward to its source, another Adyllian girl of similar age leaning over the edge of a balcony halfway between the floor and the alabaster ceiling.
"It is you!" exclaimed the girl, clapping her hands together.
"Cati!" Yelena recognized her childhood friend immediately.
"I am coming down. Stay there!" Cati disappeared from the balcony, and within a few moments Yelena saw her scurrying down the closest set of stairs to greet her with a fierce embrace.
"I am so glad you are still here!" said Yelena. "I mean... Not that you are here. I am so glad you..."
"I know what you mean," said Cati. "I feel the same seeing you! You left to serve the new Lord Prince, and I did not know if I would ever see you again."
"I am not here for long," said Yelena. "I asked him for permission to see my friends now that we have been together for a while. I think he may be tiring of me. If he is, I can come more often."
"No one could ever tire of you, Yelena!" said Cati. "Now, tell me everything about this Lord Prince. I know he is handsome, and Narim. They say the Narim women treat their men as if they were equals!"
"He is handsome," said Yelena. "And he seems to have a good heart."
"Among the Locusts? And a member of the royal household?" scoffed Cati. "If this is true maybe there is hope for us all. Maybe we can hope to be given as a slave to such a man so we don't have to serve the groping hoards at table."
"He is different than I expected," said Yelena. "But he is still a man."
"Sora and Iuliana are here," said Cati. "And Yedda. They are all still asleep. They will be so happy to see you again."
"Who have we lost since I left?" asked Yelena. "Is everyone still here?"
"He has taken two more," said Cati. "Eraina and Mika. They were brought with the Locusts from the other side of the desert. I did not know them well."
"I am just happy you are still here!" Yelena embraced her friend again. "And I hope you are here the next time I come. And that if the Lady does not deliver us from these Locusts, that you find a man who is as kind as my master."
"Come with me back to our room and see the others," said Cati. "It will be so funny for you to wake them up. They won't believe it!"
"I can't," said Yelena. "I must return soon. But I need to ask you something. Was there a temple prostitute here recently? She would be a few years older than us. She would have had dark curly hair and was dressed in white."
"Yes, she was here. But only for a few hours before Floryan and Luka took her away with the Narim girl. I thought she was just here to give the strigoi-viu a little variety in his meals."
"My master mentioned her," said Yelena. "He said she was very beautiful."
"Are you jealous?" Cati winked at her friend. "Don't get attached to your Lord Prince, Yelena. He is only a man."
"What of the Narim princess?" said Yelena. "The one who plays the lute. My master says she is his cousin and would like news of how she fares here."
"It is the same as it always is," said Cati. "She spends every day plucking her lute, and every night he summons her to his bedchamber. Sometimes he calls another before he calls her. And as always, those do not return. But she always does. And still, she does not speak."
"I must speak with her before I return to my Lord Prince," said Yelena. "He wishes me to assure him of her good health and wellbeing."
"You would speak with her?" asked Cati. "The girl who does not speak?"
"He wants me to try," said Yelena. "And that is why he allowed me to come. And why I am allowed to see you at all."
"I am happy for that, at least," said Cati. "Turn around. Your Lord Prince's cousin returns from the land of the dead."
Yelena turned to see the doors closing behind Lilua. The young Narim walked as if asleep, ignoring everything around her.
"I would catch her before she returns to her room to sleep until afternoon. I don't imagine she sleeps well beside the King, though I do not understand how she comes back unscathed every morning. Perhaps he is turning her into a strigoi-viu like him."
"Thank you, Cati. I will look for you and the others when I have finished talking with Lilua."
"Good luck," said Cati. "I hope you are able to learn what you need from the little ghost, and that you have time for your friends once you are done."
Find your way!
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