Arthur was really aiming for the little sneak’s neck, but Excalibur turned aside at the last moment and just chopped off Prince Mordred’s hand instead.”
“That’s squires’ gossip, Cai,” Sir Bedivere said, frowning at the boy. “I’m sure Damsel Rhianna doesn’t want to hear all the gory details. Now then, you youngsters had best get some sleep. It’s a long ride up to camp and we’ll be making an early start.”
Rhianna opened her mouth to say she did want to hear all the details, especially any that had to do with dark spells on the sword, since she’d soon be holding it herself. But Elphin reached for his harp and winked at her. “I’ll play something to help Sir Bors sleep,” he offered,setting his blistered fingers to the strings.
As the sweet Avalonian music tinkled into the night, Rhianna curled up in her cloak and closed her eyes. She felt bad about making her friend play again so soon with his sore hands. But if the knights wouldn’t help them find the lake, they had no choice but to find it themselves.
She meant to stay awake until Elphin’s music had enchanted everyone. But the strain of their escape caught up with her, and she drifted into a muddled dream where her father’s ghost and Sir Bors were arguing in the trees near the camp. They kept looking at her, but she couldn’t hear their words. And when she tried to raise her head to see them better, the dark fist she’d seen in the Saxon camp grabbed her hair and dragged it back down.
She woke with a start in the middle of the night. A hand covered her mouth. She tasted blood, and her heart pounded with panic. She stiffened, determined not to be taken as a Saxon slave again.
“Hush, Rhia, it’s me.” Elphin whispered in her ear. He took his hand away and helped her sit up. “We’d better hurry if we’re going to find your lake before the knights wake up.”
Her heart steadied when she saw their mist horses waiting saddled in the moonlight. She must have been more tired than she’d thought to let Elphin’s music enchant her, too. She tiptoed after her friend, eyeing the sleepers. Cai’s blackberry-stained cheeks glowed in the firelight. The three knights moaned and shifted in their sleep.
“They’ll wake if anyone attacks, don’t worry,”Elphin whispered as they mounted. “I didn’t work a very strong spell on them – my fingers are too sore. Though it seemed to work on you all right, sleepyhead! Any dreams?”
“I dreamed I saw my father talking to Sir Bors,” she told him.
Elphin nodded. “It’s possible, if we’re getting close to one of the Lights. Keep your eyes open.”
They rode in silence. Rhianna hoped for another glimpse of King Arthur’s ghost, but only the moon shone through the trees to guide them. The moonlit forest and rustling night creatures reminded her of Avalon, and she almost forgot they were in the land of men being hunted by a dragon and Mordred’s bloodbeards. Then she saw the place on the riverbank where the ghost had beckoned to her.Excitement tingled through her.
“This is it!” Without waiting for her friend, she headed Alba down the bank. The mare sniffed at the running water suspiciously. But her hooves glittered with enchantments as she stepped delicately on to the surface and trotted out into the middle. Rhianna smiled, relieved the Avalonian magic still worked in the land of men. Then she heard a splash and a surprised snort behind her. She looked round in concern.
Elphin held Evenstar on a tight rein. The horse’s legs were dissolving into mist. “I can’t go any further with you, Rhia,” he said quietly. “The Saxons stole my horse’s shoes back in the camp. I didn’t tell you before because you’d probably have made us go back for them, knowing you.”
She stared at her friend in dismay. Mist horses could swim no better than their Avalonian riders. “You can’t ride Evenstar back to Avalon without them!”
“I know. But if all goes well tonight, at least
“That’s squires’ gossip, Cai,” Sir Bedivere said, frowning at the boy. “I’m sure Damsel Rhianna doesn’t want to hear all the gory details. Now then, you youngsters had best get some sleep. It’s a long ride up to camp and we’ll be making an early start.”
Rhianna opened her mouth to say she did want to hear all the details, especially any that had to do with dark spells on the sword, since she’d soon be holding it herself. But Elphin reached for his harp and winked at her. “I’ll play something to help Sir Bors sleep,” he offered,setting his blistered fingers to the strings.
As the sweet Avalonian music tinkled into the night, Rhianna curled up in her cloak and closed her eyes. She felt bad about making her friend play again so soon with his sore hands. But if the knights wouldn’t help them find the lake, they had no choice but to find it themselves.
She meant to stay awake until Elphin’s music had enchanted everyone. But the strain of their escape caught up with her, and she drifted into a muddled dream where her father’s ghost and Sir Bors were arguing in the trees near the camp. They kept looking at her, but she couldn’t hear their words. And when she tried to raise her head to see them better, the dark fist she’d seen in the Saxon camp grabbed her hair and dragged it back down.
She woke with a start in the middle of the night. A hand covered her mouth. She tasted blood, and her heart pounded with panic. She stiffened, determined not to be taken as a Saxon slave again.
“Hush, Rhia, it’s me.” Elphin whispered in her ear. He took his hand away and helped her sit up. “We’d better hurry if we’re going to find your lake before the knights wake up.”
Her heart steadied when she saw their mist horses waiting saddled in the moonlight. She must have been more tired than she’d thought to let Elphin’s music enchant her, too. She tiptoed after her friend, eyeing the sleepers. Cai’s blackberry-stained cheeks glowed in the firelight. The three knights moaned and shifted in their sleep.
“They’ll wake if anyone attacks, don’t worry,”Elphin whispered as they mounted. “I didn’t work a very strong spell on them – my fingers are too sore. Though it seemed to work on you all right, sleepyhead! Any dreams?”
“I dreamed I saw my father talking to Sir Bors,” she told him.
Elphin nodded. “It’s possible, if we’re getting close to one of the Lights. Keep your eyes open.”
They rode in silence. Rhianna hoped for another glimpse of King Arthur’s ghost, but only the moon shone through the trees to guide them. The moonlit forest and rustling night creatures reminded her of Avalon, and she almost forgot they were in the land of men being hunted by a dragon and Mordred’s bloodbeards. Then she saw the place on the riverbank where the ghost had beckoned to her.Excitement tingled through her.
“This is it!” Without waiting for her friend, she headed Alba down the bank. The mare sniffed at the running water suspiciously. But her hooves glittered with enchantments as she stepped delicately on to the surface and trotted out into the middle. Rhianna smiled, relieved the Avalonian magic still worked in the land of men. Then she heard a splash and a surprised snort behind her. She looked round in concern.
Elphin held Evenstar on a tight rein. The horse’s legs were dissolving into mist. “I can’t go any further with you, Rhia,” he said quietly. “The Saxons stole my horse’s shoes back in the camp. I didn’t tell you before because you’d probably have made us go back for them, knowing you.”
She stared at her friend in dismay. Mist horses could swim no better than their Avalonian riders. “You can’t ride Evenstar back to Avalon without them!”
“I know. But if all goes well tonight, at least
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