“You are not the only one who lost her, Lailoken. “Do you imagine you miss her more than I do?” I said. It was hurtful and foolish, his vigil of silence. “We’ll be careful,” I swore, but as we hurried through the gate, I made certain Lailoken felt my eyes on the back of his head. The cliff trail is slick as a snake’s belly.” Down to the river.” He gestured us through. “He isn’t speaking to anyone.” I shifted my weight, and Brant’s brown eyes softened. “Still no good morning from you, eh, Lailoken?” “We’re only going down to the river,” I said.īrant looked at Lailoken. At the sound of our footsteps, his grip tightened on his spear before he caught sight of us and smiled. Past the fallow kitchen garden, Brant stood watch on the platform of the inner rampart, breath clouding beneath his hood. In the courtyard, mist swathed the late winter grasses. I swallowed the stinging that rose in my throat and followed Lailoken out the heavy oaken door and into the milky morning light. Now our rambling timber hall felt like a husk without her. I followed Lailoken down the dark corridor, softening my footfalls as we crept past the entryway to the great room with its sleeping warriors and softly dying embers. And though neither Lailoken nor I could explain it, we knew the beast waiting in the shallows waited for us alone. I didn’t want to wake our nursemaid any more than he Crowan would never allow us to go down to the river this time of morning. Lail turned on his heel, his narrowed eyes unmistakable.ĭon’t be stupid-you’re going to wake Crowan. “You cannot force her to come to you,” I said. He ignored me, reaching instead for the door’s iron latch. “Sooner or later you will have to speak.” “There is sickness yet beyond Cadzow’s walls.” But if my brother did not sleep, how could he dream? For a moment, Lail looked envious I’d dreamt of her. The purple rings beneath his eyes told me he’d been up through the night again, seeking her spirit in the Summerlands. I waited a moment, hoping for a response, but Lailoken only frowned and handed me my cloak. “Mother was calling my name, I’m certain. “I dreamt of her.” I looked at my brother. Sleep-when it came-brought some relief, but each morning when I woke, my wound tore open anew. Nine days had passed since the sickness took her. He watched impatiently as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and reached for my dress, but as I tugged the wool over my head, my mind quickened and the memory came rushing back. I woke with a start as my brother tugged back the covers and a rush of cold air met my feet. And then, through the gloom, I heard my mother call my name, her voice soft and hollow-throated as a dove’s. Silence thundered in my ears like a band of warhorses. This time no rustle of wind, no birdcall, no sliver of light penetrated the thick canopy of trees. “Moving, thrilling, and ultimately spellbinding, The Lost Queen is perfect for readers of historical fiction like The Clan of the Cave Bear and Wolf Hall, and for lovers of fantasy like Outlander and The Mists of Avalon” ( BookPage). “Moving, thrilling, and ultimately spellbinding” ( BookPage), The Lost Queen brings this remarkable woman to life-rescuing her from obscurity, and reaffirming her place at the center of the most enduring legends of all time. As Rhydderch's wife, Languoreth must assume her duty to fight for the preservation of the Old Way, her kingdom, and all she holds dear. Their passionate connection is forged by enchantment, but Languoreth is promised in marriage to Rhydderch, son of the High King who is sympathetic to the followers of Christianity. When a war brings the hero Emrys Pendragon, to their door, Languoreth collides with the handsome warrior Maelgwn. Together with her twin brother Lailoken, a warrior and druid known to history as Merlin, Languoreth is catapulted into a world of danger and violence. One of the most powerful early medieval queens in British history, Languoreth ruled at a time of enormous disruption and bloodshed, when the burgeoning forces of Christianity threatened to obliterate the ancient pagan beliefs and change her way of life forever. Intelligent, passionate, rebellious, and brave, Languoreth is the unforgettable heroine of The Lost Queen, a tale of conflicted loves and survival set against the cinematic backdrop of ancient Scotland, a magical land of myths and superstition inspired by the beauty of the natural world. “ Outlander meets Camelot” (Kirsty Logan, author of The Gracekeepers) in the first book of an exciting historical trilogy that reveals the untold story of Languoreth-a powerful and, until now, tragically forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland-twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin.
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