Page 119 of Boudicca

“Because it is what Addedomaros wanted, and Mailcun is loyal to his chief even after his death,” said Briallen.

“The others will not choose him,” said Maldwyn. “There was more talk today. No one trusts Adminius.”

“He has proven himself unfit to lead over and over, beginning when he was just a boy,” said Rhan. “Tomorrow after we break our fast I will join the lead warriors of the Trinovantes as they choose another for their chief.”

“Will it be you?” I asked. My stomach tightened at the thought and I reminded myself that I would lose Rhan eventually. Should we be victorious against the Romans, she would return to Ynys Môn to rebuild the isle of the Druids. But were she queen of the Trinovantes, Rhan would be closer to Tasceni, and that would actually make seeing her easier.

“No,” Rhan said firmly. “I have made it clear to the Trinovantes lead warriors that my life’s path has already been chosen. I am a Druid—now high Druid; I cannot also be a queen.”

“How much of a problem will Adminius be when another wears the Trinovantes torque?” I asked, more thinking aloud than looking for an answer.

Abertha shook her head. “We cannot know for sure what he will do. What we do know is that he will not be able to fracture Tribe Trinovantes as the Catuvellauni did when royal brothers disagreed over how to deal with the Romans.”

“True,” said Maldwyn. “Adminius doesn’t have enough support to split the tribe.”

Cadoc snorted. “That pup has no support. Once the new chief is chosen, Mailcun will swear fealty to him.”

“So we watch Adminius and be sure we limit whatever damage he tries to do,” I said. “Briallen, tomorrow have my guard take turns shadowing him, but do not make it obvious.”

“Aye, my queen,” said the warrior, who bowed before she left the lodge.

“We will all be watchful,” said Cadoc. “Though there is little he can do except to continue to make a fool of himself. Good night, Queen Boudicca.”

“Rest well, my queen,” said Abertha.

“May the blessings of the earth be on you,” said Maldwyn. He paused, and when I only smiled and wished him a good night, he nodded to Rhan and left.

“I should go, too,” said Rhan as she stood.

I took her hand in mine. “Please stay.”

***

I sent Phaedra to bed. Rhan and I helped each other undress and then we snuggled together under the thick pelts, sharing our body heat against the frigid night. As had been her habit when we were girls, Rhan smoothed my hair while we talked, and the stress of the evening was washed away by her touch.

“I still do not understand how Adminius thought making such a public offer of marriage to me would help him,” I said. “He is arrogant and foolish, but he had to have at least considered that I might turn him down.”

“He is arrogant and foolish, but Adminius is not stupid,” said Rhan. “Had your refusal not been so emphatic, he could have dangled the possibility of joining the Iceni and Trinovantes as incentive for his lead warriors to offer him the torque. It is probable that several of them would look favorably on joining the tribes.”

“Which means they would look favorably on Adminius.” I sighed. “But I said no. Emphatically. And now he can say he was drunk and grieving and not himself.”

“Exactly. Though he may try to coax you into a union again.”

“No. He will not wear the torque. That means he is simply a young Trinovantes warrior who will not be invited to any war council. After tomorrow there will be no reason for him to have access to me.” I touched her face. “It is you who must be careful. He cannot take outhis anger on me and he is no match for any lead warrior. He may target you.”

“Do not fret, Boudicca. I am the high Druid and well protected.” Rhan leaned into me. The stones clattered as her hair formed a curtain around us while she took her time exploring my mouth.

I loved her taste and touch. The passion I felt for Rhan began deep within my spirit, and when I thought of it I realized that it had always been there, first in the form of friendship, and now so much more. Soon we were glad of the cold night as the heat between us slicked our naked bodies and we laughed as we kicked the thick pelts from us. Her softness and heat had me gasping as waves of pleasure built and crested, and then built again.

“You sly whore! Now I know why you rejected me!”

Shock jolted through me at the sound of Adminius’s voice. I turned to shield Rhan’s naked body as I faced him. “Get out of my lodge. Now.”

Though the only light in my bedchamber was from a single candle, I could see Adminius clearly. His face was scarlet and his lips were drawn back, exposing his teeth in a snarl. “Everyone will know that you fuck my sister and the two of you conspire to steal the torque from me! But you won’t get away with it!” He moved more quickly than I expected, closing the short distance to my bed. He grabbed my arm, jerking me toward him.

I used the momentum to fly into him. Unbalanced, he stumbled backward, and I easily broke his grip. I lunged past him to the wooden chest that sat at the foot of my bed, wrenched it open, and pulled out the Roman dagger I kept there—the dagger with which I had already ended one traitor’s life. My rage boiled over and I was on him. He lurched away from me and drew a dagger from the sheath he wore around his waist. Adminius jabbed it at me, but he was no Cadoc or Maldwyn or Abertha or Briallen. I easily sidestepped and sliced his bicep. He let out a shriek and dropped the dagger. Naked, I drove him from my bedchamber out into the lodge, where the fire burned low, sending ghostly shadows against the tapestries that covered the curved walls.

“You bitch! You cut me!”