The Hod King (The Books of Babel, #3)

by Josiah Bancroft

Senlin wondered if John had been wrong about Goll’s acting ability or if his tale was heartfelt. Goll sounded sincere enough when he said, “My reward is to be here, to be freed of my anger, and to meet the Hod King in person.” Marat surprised them all by laughing. “Oh, I’m not the Hod King! No, no, I’m Hodder Luc to my friends and Marat to my enemies. No, the Hod King is there.” He pointed back down the borehole at the dormant siege engine. Seeming to sense the surprise of his guests, Marat explained, “Or I should say, that will be the Hod King once it’s fully crewed.” “I don’t understand. Our king is a machine?” Goll said. “Not quite. Have you ever heard of a rat king?” When the newcomers shook their heads, Marat continued, “Sometimes when rats are forced to live in too small a space, their tails become entangled, and those tangles become knots. The rats who find they have become entwined with their brothers and sisters are presented then with a choice: They can learn to think, coordinate, and work as one, or they can die as one. That is a rat king.”