Page 39 of Queen of the Hollow Hills

He nodded. “Thus far.”

“And…nothing from King Eddin?”

“No, my queen.”

I frowned, tapping the parchments in my hands. “Very well. Fancy some salted pork? Maybe with some cheese and a bit of bread?” I asked the boy.

He grinned. “Always, my queen.”

“Then come,” I said, turning and whistling to Fergus. “Let us raid the kitchens together. We shall eat all the salted pork we can stand. Agreed?”

The boy laughed. “As her majesty wishes.”

Grinning, the pair of us disappeared to the kitchens, and my annoyance and worry about the lack of news from Eddin was forgotten for the moment.

Later that afternoon,Cormag prepared to ride out. Once more, his eyes went to my stomach. “I won’t be more than a few days. Promise me you will send a rider if there is any sign.”

“I promise.”

“And if you can help it, try not to go into labor, my blackthorn queen.”

I chuckled. “It’s not like holding in your breath, you know.”

“How do you know unless you try?” he replied, tweaking my chin.

I chuckled.

He kissed me once more, then mounted.

Before he departed, he gave Brodi a knowing look.

The Votadini nodded.

With a wave, Cormag’s party headed out, Scratch and Beef along with them. Beside me, Fergus whined but didn’t join the others.

“You can go too,” I told the dog, but he simply nuzzled my hand and licked me.

Brodi shook his head. “Mael Muire will not recognize you, the fierce dog she sent to guard her son,” he told Fergus, but the dog seemingly ignored him.

Brodi and I both chuckled.

I looked up at the cloudy sky. While the snow under my feet had melted to puddles and left the road into the old fort a muddy mess, I swore I could smell snow on the wind.

“I sense it too, but spring snow is usually no more than dust. It is one last yawn and stretch for the Cailleach before she slumbers,” Brodi said.

“All the same, I would not have my husband on horseback in the snow.”

Brodi laughed. “Once we went hunting in the late autumn. Cormag wanted to bring in another deer or boar to smoke before the heavy winter set in. Queen Mael Muire told him not to go, but we went all the same—only to wake the following morning and find two feet of snow outside our tent.”

“But did you get the game?”

“Two does and one boar. And it was a lean winter, so we were all glad of it.”

I smiled and watched as Cormag disappeared into the city. Over the passing months, the shape of him had become an object of pure love. While I knew him to be of great strength, intelligence, and cunning, the man who held me at night, his hands on my belly, had become a fixed part of me. I loved him dearly.

My back twinged lightly, reminding me I had no business on my feet or outside in the cool air.

Watching until Cormag passed the outer gate, I turned to Fergus. “Now, will you stay with me inside by the fire or go with Brodi for some excitement?”

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