The Bees: A Novel Read Online Free PDF

womb,” they sang to control their fear.
    “Thy Marriage done, Thy Queendom come—”
    Flora wanted to join in, but the scent from Sister Sage had bound her rigid.
    “From Death comes Life Eter—” The beautiful voices stopped at the sharp squealing from one of the cribs.
    Every nurse stared in horror as one of the officers bent over it. The squeal became an anguished shriek as the officer held up a larva-baby struggling to roll itself up. Another officer uncurled it with a sound of tearing skin.
    Standing by Flora, Sister Inspector slid a claw from her gauntlet. “Bring it.”
    Muffling the baby’s screams, she scanned it with slow-burning antennae until its pearly skin withered. “It is possible,” she announced. “It has a foul, strange scent.”
    “That is fear!” cried Sister Teasel.
    Ignoring her, Sister Inspector held up the baby and pierced it with her hook. It shrieked and twisted in agony as she held it out to her officers.
    “Destroy it.”
    “Wait.” Sister Sage pointed to Flora. “Let her.”
    With a jolt Flora felt herself released to move. Sister Inspector pulled her claw from the larva-baby to drop it on the ground, but Flora caught it and clutched it to her, the first child she had ever held. Its warm blood soaked into her fur and she pressed the agonized little thing close to her, trying to stanch the bleeding.
    Eat it alive. The voice spoke inside Flora’s own mind. She held the baby tighter and a searing sound went through her antennae.
    Do it NOW. Tear it apart.
    Flora bowed her own head over the baby and shielded it with her arms. The voice roared louder in her mind.
    DESTROY IT—
    Her antennae felt like they burst with the blow that struck her. She staggered and fell, the baby still clutched to her. Blows fell against her body, and her antennae became two pulsing rods of agony. The screaming baby was pulled from her grasp. She felt its warm blood splash her face and heard its tearing flesh and the grunts of the fertility police as they devoured it. As Flora screamed, her tongue twisted hard in her mouth and she choked on the sound.
    “I asked too much.” Sister Sage’s voice was close and gentle. “The experiment is over.”

Six
    F LORA REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS LYING ON DIRTY BLANK tiles. A low moaning came from nearby, but when she tried to locate the source a searing flash forked through her head and she cried out.
    “Don’t move . . .” A weak voice spoke. “The pain is less—”
    Through the snarling odors of the small chamber Flora became aware of the faint scent of the kin of Clover.
    “Was it you?” The voice was young and ragged. “For I swear it was not me.”
    Flora tried to answer, but to move her tongue was agony.
    “Silence.” Sister Sage entered, followed by a group of her identical doubles. All wore the ceremonial pollen marks of the Melissae priestesses, and a strong astringent scent flowed from them. Flora shrank in terror, but they paid her no attention. Instead, the first Sister Sage knelt down by the Clover and stroked her face.
    “Your crime is behind you now, and you harm only yourself by maintaining your lie.” She waited, but the Clover lay panting and did not speak. Sister Sage leaned closer. “How many eggs did you lay? Did you wish to be Queen?”
    “Never!” The Clover struggled to rise on her broken limbs. Her wings were shriveled and curled. “I beg you to believe me; I have not profaned our holy law. Only the Queen may breed— ”
    One of the other priestesses stepped forward as if to strike the Clover, but Sister Sage held her back and soothed the Clover again.
    “Why did you hide from the police? Was it to keep spreading your deformity through our hive with foul eggs? We have found the young sisters with your defect, your issue .” Sister Sage hissed the word and the Clover began to weep.
    “I swear again I have never laid—”
    “Your wings show your true evil. And deformity creeps through our hive.”
    The Clover gave up