Page 76 of Queen of the Hollow Hills

Overhead, lightning struck again and again. I smelled the scent of its fire in the air.

When it cracked again, I opened my eyes just a little. I looked, amazed to see that the lightning was not in the sky but was radiating down the line of stones, zipping across the five fingers and then circling the claw.

And then I saw my body.

I was glowing with a brilliant blue light.

Again and again, magic crackled as the priestesses called.

“Cailleach! Cailleach! Rise! Rise and give us your magic!”

With the next crack, my whole body shook. I felt seized with power, my teeth gnashing together, my back straining, everything going rigid. And then, it all grew dark, and the world became still and silent.

CHAPTER 21

Iopened my eyes to see a world frozen in place. Lightning bounced between the stones but at a snail’s pace. Môd’s arms were lifted in the air, her mouth agape as she called. Her cape and hair floated around her, but the movement was so slow.

I turned back and looked at Corva, who stared at me, her red cape flying behind her, a look of both fear and determination in her gaze.

But within that still space, the ground opened before me, and the Cailleach in her dark robes came from it. She walked toward me, moving at a normal pace, until she came before me once more, her face shadowed by her hood.

“Lady of Winter,” I whispered.

“Why are you here, Cartimandua?”

“Caligula marches. I have come to beg your aid to stop the Romans, as you have warned so many times.”

“Isthis what I have warned of?”

“Is it not?”

“This place is one of sacrifice. For ages, blood has wet this ground, feeding the magic of the hollow hills. There is no blood now, but still, you ask for my magic.”

“Imust protect my people. We must stop Rome. Take my blood, if need be, Dark Mother.”

The Cailleach paused. I could just catch the shadow of the smirk on her face. She leaned toward me, her face close to mine, and pushed her hood back. With eyes like lightning, she stared at me. “Do you think you know better than me, girl?” she asked, her voice booming, her eyes becoming so blindingly bright I winced hard. “Do you think you can take my sacrifice away and substitute yourself? Who are you to me? When you are but dust, I will remain, Cartimandua of the Brigantes. I will remain, and you will be all but forgotten! And yet… I accept your offering,QueenCartimandua. I take what you freely give. Now, see! See him and take my power into your hands. See him and whisper madness!” the Cailleach said, setting her hands on the side of my head.

For a moment, it felt like my head would burst, but then, my body flew from itself. I sped with the speed of light across the land, across the sea, to far-off Gaul where the Romans gathered.

I gasped when I saw them. Thousands of soldiers. Dozens upon dozens of boats. And before them, draped in purple, a very tall and thin man with a bald head trimmed in golden leaves. He stood, his arms crossed his chest, and stared at the channel.

“Neptune, speak to me. Tell me when to launch. Tell me when to make my conquest!”

I stared.

Like me, the man spoke to his gods, but his gods did not answer.

“Neptune! Speak now! What must I do?”

I hesitated a long moment, and then, forming an idea, I whispered,“Caligula, Emperor of Rome, do you hear the call of the waves?”

“Yes, Lord Neptune. Command me! Command me, Lord.”

I reached out, setting my hand on the man’s head. His mind whirled with a hundred thoughts at once, all disjointed. Such mad ideas… So much jealousy, shame, fear, and rage. It was a mess of voices.

I looked out at the sea.“Send your men into the water with their swords. Slice the waves! Let the enemy know you have defeated Ocean, and then return to Rome,” I whispered, my eyes going to the beach onto which the dark waves broke.“Return to Rome with your pockets full of seashells so all the world will know you are master of these waves. With Neptune’s strength, you have conquered Ocean. Return home a victor.”

Caligula turned to his man. “Sound the horn. Line the men up along the shore.”

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