Page 33 of Queen of the Hollow Hills (Eagles and Crows #3)

CHAPTER 32

T he word hung in the air for a long moment, then Venutiux continued.

“Ystradwel is barely holding on, Cartimandua. The Setantii have turned on her in favor of Lord Gregor. She is besieged in Bell’s Harbor.”

Cormag frowned. “We cannot wait longer on King Ord’s reply, my queen. Where are your forces, Chieftain?” he asked Venutiux.

“Camped at the crossroads to the west. I left my men to rest rather than asking them to march here and back again.”

Cormag nodded. “A moment,” he told Venutiux, then gestured for the pair of us to move aside. When we were out of earshot, Cormag said, “I will lead the forces west. Keep the pressure on King Ord to join at once. If you delay more, you will lose Bell’s Harbor and its valuable trade.”

“I should come?—”

“With Rome on the move and the Parisii rattled, it would be better if you stayed here and kept an eye on all the other fires burning.”

I frowned but nodded. Cormag was right. “Yes. Very well. The chieftains are within. We can rally them now.”

Cormag gave me a light smile and then touched my chin. “All will be well, but if anything takes a turn, you may call upon the Votadini. They are your friends and allies.” Cormag set a soft kiss on my lips. “Sharpen your thorns, blackthorn queen,” he said, pulling the blackthorn barb he always wore from his lapel and pinning it to my dress. “You will need them.”

He kissed me on the forehead, then turned and headed inside.

I went to Venutiux. “The other chieftains are within,” I told him. “Take your rest a moment.”

“Cartimandua…I understand there was some conflict with Ruith.”

“There was. A Parisii chieftain killed a Brigantes man. We took a quick retribution, and Ruith has agreed to my terms—albeit colorfully. I am hopeful nothing he hears dissuades him to act otherwise.”

Venutiux held my gaze. “You mean Alys.”

“Yes.”

“Alys is a whore who is sleeping with one of my groomsmen. She has no interest in leaving Carvetti lands now. She is in love with the man. I suspect she hopes I die in this new war so she and her lover can run off wherever they like. I doubt sending a messenger to her father is at the top of her thoughts.”

“Venu,” I said, shocked.

He shrugged. “It was never a happy marriage. How could it be?” he said, then took my hand. “She was never you ,” he told me, placing a kiss on my hand. With that, he turned and followed Cormag inside.

I paused before I followed the others, gesturing instead to Conall who waited nearby.

“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. I will 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 M?d 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 was midafternoon 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.

“Then be done with it quickly and come home,” I told him with a grin.

Cormag huffed a laugh. “Do not start a war with Rome while I’m gone.”

“I’ll endeavor to do my best. Done,” I said, then stepped back.

Cormag put his hand on the small of my back and pulled me close again. “Think you will escape that easily,” he replied, kissing my neck.

“Keep that up, and I will leave Ystradwel to flounder an hour longer.”

Cormag chuckled and then kissed me again. I caught his comforting scents of elderberry and leather. His soft lips and the press of his warm body against mine made my head feel light and made flickers of light appear before my eyes.

“I will be home soon,” Cormag whispered in my ear.

“Good.”

Cormag kissed me on my forehead, and then we made our way downstairs and outside to the courtyard to where Damhan, Brodi, Venutiux, Aedan, and Andoc waited. Corva was there as well. She and Fabius watched as the men made ready.

“We will have Lord Gregor on the run soon, my queen,” Andoc told me.

“Not on the run. I’ll have him decorate my gates.”

“Our queen likes trophies, or did you forget?” Aedan told Andoc, who laughed.

“What can I say? I’m still a princess at heart who enjoys her shiny baubles.”

“A Brigantes princess. We will do what we can for you, Cartimandua,” Andoc said with a laugh.

“Be careful. All of you,” I told them, my gaze going to Venutiux, who had already turned and was mounting his horse.

Walking with Cormag, I held Shade’s reins as he mounted.

Cormag looked down at Fergus. “I suppose you’re staying here?”

The dog wagged his tail.

Cormag shook his head.

“Embarrassing, Votadini,” Brodi called to Fergus.

Beef and Scratch, however, looked ready to ride out with their masters.

“Be safe,” I told the Votadini men, who had decorated their faces for war.

The men bowed in their saddles to me.

I turned to Cormag once more. “Come home soon,” I told him. “I love you.”

Cormag set his hand on his heart. “I love you too, my blackthorn queen.” He signaled to the others that he was ready, and then they rode off.

Corva, Fabius, and I stood watching as they went.

My eyes followed Cormag as he rode out of the gates of the old fort and disappeared into the crowded streets beyond. I saw him one last time, the sun shining on his black hair, as he rode out of Rigodonum.

A sharp feeling made my stomach knot. I winced, setting my hand on my waist.

“Cartimandua?” Fabius asked, reaching for me.

I waved to him that it was nothing.

Not noticing, Corva frowned and then said, “Come inside, my queen. We have all manner of messages to go through.”

I nodded, and gestured that I would follow her.

“Cartimandua?” Fabius asked again.

“It’s nothing. Just worries,” I said. “Something your Roman wine can help with, I suspect.”

“What better way to toast their launch?” Fabius replied with a smirk. “I’ll see to it.”

“Don’t water it down.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”