Page 113 of Highland Queen

Balor shook his head. “It wounds my heart to see her thus.” I was sure it did. Balor and Epona had always been very close.

“When I saw her last, I asked her what I could do to help our people. She advised me to speak with you,” I told Balor.

“We could use your aid, Queen Gruoch. Lands granted for our use, protection, coin, and acknowledgment. The south has shifted toward the White Christ. The southernmost coven is over. The last of the priestesses have gone.”

“How terrible.”

Balor nodded.

“I will do anything in my power to help you. It would be useful if I knew where my holy brothers and sisters resided, the locations of the other covens and holy sites.”

Balor considered the matter. “We have always thought it unwise to set such information down.”

“Do you read Ogham, Father?”

“Of course.”

“Are many others learned in the art?”

He laughed. “As far as I know, only Epona…”

“And me.”

Balor chuckled. “Very good, Your Majesty. Very good. Let’s meet and discuss further before we depart.”

“And Crearwy,” Lulach piped up.

“Sorry, love?”

“Crearwy can also read the language you speak of.”

Banquo cast a wary eye toward Lulach.

“Very good,” I said, seeking to curb Lulach’s tongue. It was one thing for him to be proud of his sister, but quite another to speak her name in open spaces.

Fleance, who must have had a better sense of the matter then Lulach, elbowed his old friend.

Lulach gave Fleance an annoyed look but said nothing more.

We spent a pleasant evening feasting and talking of old things. Banquo’s staff moved in and out of the room as if the druid visitors were nothing of particular interest, but I watched Killian out of the corner of my eye. How closely he listened to their words and eyed the men over. It had been a long time since the druids had walked freely amongst our people. Perhaps it was time for that to change.

Late in the night, after Balor and the others had gone to bed, I sought out Lulach. Though they were both older, Lulach and Fleance had asked for a room together. It was late in the night when I found them there—both still awake—talking like two old women.

“My boys,” I said, entering the room quietly. I closed the door behind me.

Both dogs, Thor and Angus, looked up at me. Thor lay his head back down, deciding it was too much trouble to get up from the comfortable spot on the end of Fleance’s bed to come see me. Angus, who’d been resting by the fire, came to me and licked my hand. I scratched his red ears then sat down on the corner of Lulach’s bed.

“You should be asleep, Corbie,” Fleance told me. “A woman should rest when she’s coming to the end of her time.”

“A month and a bit to go,” I said, setting my hand on my belly. “Depending on how stubborn your sister is.”

“How odd, isn’t it?” Fleance asked Lulach. “We shall share a sister. What have you and father decided to name her?”

“Aelith.”

“And are you sure it’s a girl?” he asked.

I nodded. “As sure as one can be.”

---