The Bees: A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page A

and strengthened her own scent around both of them.
    “You have nothing to fear.”
    They went into the ward. At first Flora thought the nurses had left, because all the cribs were unattended and some of the babies were already starting to cry, but then she saw them all standing in lines near the ward sisters’ station. Some openly wept in fear, their antennae waving uncontrollably, while others held theirs high and rigid. Stationed around the edges of the ward were the fertility police. Their kin-scents were hidden under their masking scent, their eyes were blank, and their fur was slicked dark against their bands—but Flora recognized them from the Arrivals Hall. Sister Sage curled a filament of her own scent around Flora’s antennae and she felt her mouth clamp shut. The priestess joined her to the end of the first row, then stepped forward and bowed to the police.
    “Sister Inspector, Sister Officers. Welcome.”
    The Inspector saluted her, then turned to address the nurses.
    “Another wing deformity has been found.” The masking scent distorted her voice to a harsh buzz. Despite their fear, the nurses murmured in revulsion.
    “Praise to the vigilant Thistle guard on the landing board.” Her scent fired in jagged bursts as she surveyed the nurses.
    Sister Teasel began to weep. “Not here, Madam Inspector, never in Category One; it is not possible—Holy Mother is here every day, her scent so beautiful and strong—there can be no—”
    “Silence!” the Inspector spat at her. “Do you think I mean the defect could come from Her Majesty ? You fly close to treason yourself, Sister—”
    “Holy Mother strike me dead before my next breath if so—” Sister Teasel fell to her knees, but Sister Inspector yanked her back on her feet.
    “Measure her.” She shoved Sister Teasel at two of her officers and they lashed their black calipers around her thick waist. Sister Teasel voided herself in fear and the smell mingled with the scent of the nurses’ terror, rising from their breathing spiracles. Behind them all the babies began to cry. Sister Sage looked on calmly.
    “Not her, at any rate.” The Inspector released Sister Teasel, then turned to the nurses. “Deformities mean evil roams our hive. Somewhere hides a desecrating heretic who dares steal sacred Motherhood from the Queen. That is why sickness comes, that is why deformities rise. From her foul issue! ” Her antennae twitched compulsively and Flora felt her longing for violence.
    “Only the Queen may breed,” responded Sister Sage, looking at the nurses.
    “Only the Queen may breed,” some of them managed to respond, but others stared at Sister Teasel, her antennae bent in shame as she desperately cleaned herself. The Inspector held up a long, sharp claw to the ward.
    “We will search every crib, we will measure every nurse’s belly until we find the culprit. And then we will tear her filthy body apart and cleanse our hive of sin.”
    “Do what you must, Sister Inspector.” Sister Sage bowed again.
    Sister Inspector signaled and some of her officers began moving systematically through the rows of cribs, while others used the black calipers on their arms to measure the bellies of the terrified nurses.
    When it was her turn, Flora looked in distress at Sister Sage, convinced her greedy appetite would mark her as doomed, but the priestess ignored her. The calipers went around her belly, but the police moved on, measuring each bee until all the nurses were cleared and none found guilty.
    Those who dared turned to look at the cribs where the larva-babies wailed as officers swept each one up. With the powerful scanners of their antennae, they sent sharp vibrations through the small, tender bodies. The babies cried in fear and regurgitated their Flow, and the smell of it mixed with their infant defecation.
    “Our Mother, who art in labor—” Sister Teasel’s voice was hoarse and small, but her nurses joined their own in support.
    “Hallowed be Thy