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 76: The Lord Prince Radu
Within days of the Lord Prince Radu's arrival, life in the desert camp changed. Especially for Zayaan. No longer confined to the commander's quarters or banished to the isolation of night watch at the western checkpoint Zayaan spent his days walking in the shadow of a new type of Locust he had not observed before. One who walked among the recruits as Radu did now, stopping to correct the fighting stances of young soldiers with a laugh, explaining to another how to hold a blade properly.
Radu was not a jackal. But he was not a desert mouse, either. He was something else entirely. He was as charismatic and charming as he was dangerous. Even against his better judgement, Zayaan found himself liking the Lord Prince.
On the training field Radu pulled a boy to his feet who had been knocked to the ground by a much larger opponent. “Keep at it. With more training you will be able to take down men twice your size on the battlefield!”
Radu returned to the side of the training field where Zayaan stood.
“Why do you talk to them?” asked Zayaan. “The other officers only bark orders at them. They would have kicked sand in that boy’s face when he fell.”
Radu shook his head. “Officers sent to training camps are those who don’t excel elsewhere. I am not one of them. I am a Lord Prince, selected by the God-Among-Men for special service at his hand. I am not just an officer. I am a leader of men.”
“Aren’t officers leaders?” asked Zayaan.
“They should be,” answered Radu. “But most are not. It is my duty to live as an example to those of lower rank. Once the newest conscripts are initiated by fire and water into the Swarm, they must be rebuilt to become something greater than they were before we purified them of their weakness. Without an example of what it means to be a part of the 'One Man, One Swarm, One Locust' we so love to chant, how will any of those who bear the scar of that initiation understand they can attain something greater than what they left behind them?"
Zayaan rubbed the scar on his face at the reminder of his own initiation.
"Does it still cause you pain?" asked Radu.
Zayaan shook his head. “It is only habit.”
"There is no shame in bearing the scars of initiation," said Radu. "Especially as you rise in the ranks. When you become powerful in court, the scar will strike fear in the hearts of anyone who would stand against you."
"I thought it would make me a target at court?" said Zayaan.
"I did say that, didn't I?" said Radu.
Zayaan nodded.
"I am right, you know. It will make you a target.” Radu clapped the younger man on the back. “But only because it shows how strong you are. We must make sure you can show your strength if some poor idiot tries to challenge you, tea maker! What is your weapon of choice?"
"Bow and arrow," said Zayaan. "I have always been a good hunter."
"An archer?" laughed Radu. "I am sure you are an excellent shot, my friend. But the advantage of a bow and arrow is the ability to strike from long range. Inside the close quarters of a city or the walls of a palace it will not serve you well. Have you ever been in a city?"
"My father took us to the temple in Adyll’s capital every equinox and solstice," said Zayaan. "And I visited the palace when I was young."
"Picture yourself there in the crowded streets of Adyll. Do you have line of sight or space to draw your bow and nock your arrow?" asked Radu.
"If I was above the street," said Zayaan. "I could..."
"It is too late," said Radu. "While you were looking for a place to see someone already killed you. Look down, tea maker."
Zayaan followed the Lord Prince's grinning nod downward to see his still sheathed dagger pressed against his stomach.
"I could gut you like a pig," laughed Radu. "Be thankful I do not wish it."
"But..." said Zayaan. "You told me to..."
Radu cut him off. "Stop. If you are to join the God-King in his court, you cannot make excuses. And you cannot trust anyone. Even me... Especially me." He took a few steps away from a confused Zayaan before turning and tossing him the dagger. "You will need this. It will work better than the kitchen knife you greeted me with when we first met. I will show you how to use it tomorrow. I can't end up with you dead in an Adyllian alleyway. Who would make my tea?"
"Thank you, Lord Prince!" said Zayaan, hurrying to catch up with his teacher. "I am honored that you would teach me."
"Zayaan, I am going to give you another piece of advice," said Radu as Zayaan caught up with him. "You do not need to lick shit in my presence. I know Gunnr likes his recruits fawning and compliant, but I only like my women that way."
Zayaan looked confused.
"Mahleck respects strength, loyalty, and deeds more than words," said Radu. "Your cousin Takri impressed him by hunting and capturing the Adyllian witch when all others had failed."
"What did you do to impress him?" asked Zayaan.
"I come from an old family of the First Men," said Radu. "Loyal to the God-King from the beginning. But my father and brother turned against Mahleck and plotted against him. I killed them both and brought their heads to the King as a gift."
Zayaan stopped in his tracks, but only for a moment. "You killed your father and brother for the Locust King?"
"I have killed many people in his service," answered Radu. "His ways are just and right. In the Swarm, there is only service to the Locust. Those outside do not matter. The only family who would die for me are my fellow soldiers."
"Of course," said Zayaan. "We serve the Locust because we are the Locusts."
"Don't let the politics of camp and court tell you otherwise," said Radu. "You may not know this out here in the middle of the desert but Adyll is suffering from a famine. Its populace is starving. Mahleck did not send me to the camp to train you for court life. He sent for me to bring food for the people of Adyll. My men have been tasked with collecting tithes from the farm lands to the east of the desert. They will meet me here in a few weeks' time and together we will bring relief to the newest corner of the Locust's empire. And Adyll will learn that Mahleck provides what their whore demoness cannot."
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