Page 61 of Queen of the Hollow Hills

Catching Cormag’s eye, I gestured to him that I would retire upstairs.

My husband nodded to me.

Turning, I made my way back to our bedchamber.

When I arrived, I found Greer sitting on the floor with her daughter, the pair passing wooden blocks between them. In the bassinet by my bed, Regan and Aelith slept.

“My queen,” Greer said, moving to rise, but I gestured for her to stay where she was.

I nodded and then joined the pair. “What game are we playing, Heather?” I asked the little girl.

Giving me a grin, her tiny teeth shining like small pearls, she handed a block to me, and then another, and another, and another, watching in delight as I stacked them as high as I could only to watch them tumble. The child laughed, collected the blocks and handed them to me again. Over and over, we built the towers, only for them to fall when they reached too high.

Like empires that reach too far, collapsing in on themselves.

“You see the problem here?” I asked Heather. “If you only grow your fort tall without having a secure foundation, then yourtower will never last,” I said, setting a block foundation before building upward.

“A lesson in queenship?” Greer asked.

I gave her a wink.

Heather smiled and clapped for me.

“But, remember, with maneuvering,” I said, pulling out the block from the base until the tower wobbled, “even the mightiest can fall.” Pulling the last block, the tower tipped then toppled, making Heather laugh.

Eddin,dressed for travel, found me before riding out the following day.

“Will you not return to Rigodonum before you return?”

Eddin shook his head. “I’m afraid not. If all goes well, I will sail home. And if not, I fear that if I return here, I will not be able to leave the clutches of these beauties. Will I, Aelith?” he said, scrunching up his face at my daughter, who flailed one arm and looked at Eddin with her eyes wide. “Pretty girl, be kind to your mother while I am gone,” Eddin said, kissing the child on the head and gently setting her down again. “And you, Queen Regan,” he added, stroking Regan’s dark hair.

Eddin sighed heavily and then turned back to me. “I am sorry to leave you all,” he told me, a flicker of emotion crossing his features.

“And I am sorry to see you go,” I replied, swallowing the lump in my throat.

He took my hand. “I can, however, live without seeing you in that much pain ever again. I didn’t know I could pray so fervently. My father’s druids would have been impressed.”

“Thank you for being here for me, Eddin. I don’t know how I would have managed it without you.”

Eddin squeezed my hand.

The door to the bedchamber opened, revealing Cormag, Brodi, and Damhan.

“Ah, Eddin, I hoped I had not missed you,” Cormag said, entering.

Eddin placed a kiss on my hand, then let me go. He turned and smiled at Cormag. “I came to say goodbye to the Brigantes princesses.”

“My sun and moon,” Cormag said, joining us, smiling down on our children. “And my stars,” he added, touching my back and giving me a soft smile.

Eddin smiled softly. “Let me go now before I change my mind.”

“I will see you out,” Cormag told Eddin, then turned to me. “Unless you need me.”

“They are finally at rest. I think I will take some as well.”

Cormag nodded, then turned to Eddin. “We will miss you, King Eddin,” he told him as the two men departed, the Votadini following behind him.

As Eddin passed through the doorway, he looked back at me one last time and gave me a soft smile, then closed the door behind him.

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