Page 79 of Queen of the Hollow Hills

“Queen Cartimandua. You must ride at once,” Brodi told me.

“Brodi? What has happened?”

“My queen… Queen Cartimandua… It’s… Oh, my queen,” he said, his face screwing up in anguish.

Something stilled inside me. “Tell me.”

The words coming from his mouth in a mournful whisper, Brodi said, “The princesses.”

CHAPTER 22

“It came on so suddenly,” Brodi said. “Greer went to check on them and discovered they were both burning with fever. Every effort was made, my queen. Prince Cormag,” Brodi said, his eyes growing damp with unshed tears. He shook his head. “Every effort was made.”

“Every effort was made?” Corva asked, sounding confused. “What do you mean?”

I felt my knees go weak. I reached out to Corva, who held on to me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Amma and Aedan standing in the doorway. Amma gasped at Brodi’s words and looked at her brother. Aedan’s face twisted with pain.

“Are you saying…” Corva asked but did not finish his sentence.

“We called the midwife and the healer. Neither could explain it,” Brodi replied. “Oh, Cartimandua. You must come at once. Cormag is… You must come at once.”

Corva cleared her throat and then asked. “They… They are gone?”

Tears trailed down Brodi’s cheeks. “Yes.”

Corva gasped and then covered her mouth.

I felt nothing. Nothing. “Saddle my horse,” I told Conall. I turned to Corva. “I must get to my family at once.”

“Cartimandua,” Corva whispered.

“Say nothing. Say. Nothing. Saddle my horse, Conall. I will be ready to ride in a few moments.”

Conall dashed the tears from his eyes, then turned and hurried from the room, Aedan following behind him.

“I will help you, my queen,” Lady Amma told me.

“Cartimandua,” Brodi said gently. “I am so?—”

I raised my bandaged hand. “Say nothing,” I whispered, feeling myself sway. “Please.”

Nodding, he turned and left us.

“I will go make ready,” Corva told me, then departed.

Working quickly and quietly, Amma helped me redress. From a spare trunk in the room, she returned with a pair of gloves. “Wear these, your majesty. It will help protect your hands from the pain of the reins.”

I nodded mutely, slipping the gloves on, then turned to her, my mind not working properly. Like a child, I looked to Amma.

“You are ready. Let me help you downstairs,” she said, then took my arm and led me from the room.

We walked slowly, Amma sensing I was holding on to this world by the tips of my fingers.

“When my husband died, I realized I had fallen in love with him quite by accident. He was forty—forty—years my elder, and I hadnotwanted to marry him. But a quiet love and respect had grown between us. When he left this world, it felt like everything stopped. Aedan and Aerin kept me bound to this life with their love, but that did not make the pain feel any less. To lose a child—nay, children…” Amma said, then paused. “My queen, all our love is with you. Go to your husband now. You will need one another.”

I nodded, swallowing hard, then rolled my shoulders back and straightened my posture.

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