Page 116 of Queen of the Hollow Hills

“What is it?” he asked me.

“With Ystradwel under siege, Cormag will lead the warriors west.”

“And you, my queen?”

“As much as I’d like to swing a sword at Lord Gregor’s head, I must stay here and watch Ruith and the Romans.”

“And the Romans? What will you do, Cartimandua?”

“Caratacus and Togodumnus may depose as many kings as they like.Iwill make sure Rome knows that I am the most dangerous person on this island.”

“Eagles are just birds, after all. We are the mountains and the stars.”

“May all the little people of the hollow hills hear your words and be with us.”

“And the twin sisters,” Conall added.

I smiled lightly but did not reply.

“Cartimandua, will you not call upon Môd and Onnen?”

“Bellnorix was right. No druids. No priestesses. I will listen to the land itself. More than that…” I said, touching my chest where the Cailleach had marked me. “I no longer trust them.”

Conall gave me a sympathetic look, then nodded. “My queen,” he said, then after a moment, added, “I will join the others inside.”

“I’ll follow in a moment.”

Leaving the king’s compound and waving for the guards to leave me alone, I followed a narrow footpath along the wall that led away from the fort to a spot just outside the walls. There, on a rocky perch, I had a good view of the city below.

When I was a girl, I sometimes slipped away and sat there. Many times, Eddin would be with me. I remembered how he had taught me to make a whistle out of a blade of grass. Other times, I would simply sit and feel the wind on my cheek and in my hair and dream of my future.

For many years, that was with Venutiux.

Venu’s words echoed in my mind but did not reach my heart.

That belonged firmly to Cormag.

But the notion that Venutiux still loved me after all this time… Well…

Fergus, who had followed me, heaved a sigh and then sat beside me, setting his head in my lap.

“And what would you tell the Romans?” I asked the dog.

He thumped his tail, his eyes shifting lovingly.

“Far too sweet. Smiles are not a bad idea, though.”

How could I win the game the Romans, who had not yet set sail, were playing?

“Make the first move when you can, Cartimandua. You do that, and you have the advantage.”

Bellnorix’s voice from across the fidchell board called out to me from my memories.

I exhaled heavily and looked off in the faraway distance. “Very well then, let us begin.”

It wasmidafternoon when Cormag prepared to ride out. We met in our bedchamber to get ready.

“I do not like to leave you so soon,” he told me as I helped him tie the laces on his tunic.

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