Page 55 of Highland Queen

“That’s because, for all of Druanne’s wisdom, she cannot see the Otherworld. Sid is not mad.”

“No. I didn’t think so. But I do think she likes to play tricks…for fun.”

“Well, that I can believe.”

“Crearwy?” Epona called from the other room. “Who are you talking to?”

“My mother.”

There was a pause, and I heard the bed creak. A moment later, Epona appeared in the doorway.

“Cerridwen?”

I sat up and looked at Epona. She and Andraste could have been sisters. “Oh, Epona.”

She chuckled lightly. “Yes, I’m sure I’m quite the shock. What are you doing here?”

“Madelaine and I were planning to come, but Tavis is gravely ill. Druanne and Uald have gone to Madelaine’s keep.”

Epona nodded. “Oh. Yes. Well…she will miss him terribly,” she said absently then turned and headed back into the main room. “I’ll make the breakfast.”

I looked at Crearwy who didn’t seem a bit disturbed by Epona’s odd behavior.

“Let me go help,” I said then kissed Crearwy on the forehead.

“All right. I’ll go feed the animals since Uald is gone,” Crearwy said.

“You know how?”

She laughed as though I’d asked a silly question. “Of course.”

“Don’t forget to put on your cloak.”

“Mother.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. They were right. She was every bit as sharp around the edges as they said.

Pushing my hair back, Crearwy’s half-braid falling out, I went to the main room and started banking up the fire.

Moving slowly, Epona began setting out the dishes. “Now, there is Crearwy and me, Juno, Tully, Aridmis, Cerridwen, and…and…and Flidas. I will set a place for Sid. She will come back to see Cerridwen,” she whispered to herself as she worked.

“And May?” I asked.

“May? No. She left a year or so ago.”

“Where did she go?”

“Somewhere west. We had a girl here for a short time, a promising acolyte, daughter of a clan chieftain, but she left. May went with her. Crearwy was grown enough, and May wanted to start a new life.”

“She just…left?”

“Not like that. We all supported her.”

“But how did Crearwy take it?”

“She cried a bit, but all things change,” Epona said.

I frowned. No doubt Crearwy had suffered from the loss. I hated the idea that she’d grieved, and I had not known, had not been here to comfort her.

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