Sword of Light by KATHERINE ROBERTS Page B

horse in circles, while Cai slid first one way and then the other on its wet rump.
    “We have to rejoin the other knights, that’s obvious,” Sir Bors said. “Organise ourselves asbest we can and send that Saxon rabble packing. They’re only half an army without Mordred’s lot.”
    “Ride back to camp with her?” Sir Agravaine looked pointedly at Rhianna. “She’d be safer in a nunnery somewhere. Mordred’s forces could be on their way back here even as we speak.”
    “Mordred was badly wounded in the battle. They’ll tend to him first. And the Saxons are here, so there can’t be many of them left hanging around the battlefield – it just might be the safest place of all right now.”
    “What if that witch-mother of his is still around, working her dark spells? We haven’t got Excalibur any more. We don’t even know if our camp’s still there.”
    Sir Bors clenched a big fist. “Where else will the knights go, without Arthur? They ain’t hereat Camelot where they’re needed, that’s for sure!”
    “Do you think the others will follow us?”
    “They will when they see we’ve got Arthur’s daughter.”
    “It’s too dangerous…”
    Rhianna got fed up with them arguing over her head as if she were some sort of trophy, instead of a girl with feelings who had only a few days ago seen the body of her murdered father. The sight of the barbarian army so close made her stomach churn and her blood rise. Her father had been fighting these men when he died, and now they were camped outside the walls of Camelot. If the knights didn’t do something soon, her mother might be killed too.
    She clenched her fists, making Alba prance. “Take me to the lake where you threw my father’s sword, and when I’ve got Excalibur back
I’ll
lead you against the Saxons! I’m not afraid.”
    Cai gaped at her in admiration, and Elphin smiled.
    But Sir Bors scowled. “Don’t be so silly, girl!
You
lead the knights? Do you think King Arthur’s sword is going to turn a half-grown damsel into a warrior, even if we can find it again, which I seriously doubt. The path to the lake vanished after the waters took it, and we ain’t got time to go gallivanting about on foolish quests now. We had quite enough of that with the Grail… been a lot better off if we’d all stayed at home and kept our eyes on young Mordred, if you ask me.”
    “But Merlin said—”
    “Merlin ain’t here!” Bors growled. “And until he turns up, we can’t risk no-one, Saxon or Briton, finding out who you are.”
    Just then, they heard the tramp of feet and rough voices coming up the hillside from the camp. Sir Bors cursed. “Enough chatter. We’d best get out of here fast, before them Saxons spot us! Cai, hold on tight – don’t you dare fall off!”
    Setting his heels to his horse, he led them away from the road at a pounding gallop into the fog. Sir Agravaine motioned them to follow, holding back his stallion to bring up the rear with the lance. Bedivere urged his chestnut after Sir Bors with a pale Cai clinging to his waist. Alba shook her damp mane and leaped after the bigger horses with an excited squeal. Elphin and Evenstar followed close behind. Rhianna forgot her frustration at the sight of the army and grinned as the mare’s hooves stretched over the springy turf and the rain half-blinded her. This was nearly asmuch fun as their races back in Avalon!
    When Sir Bors hauled his horse to a sudden stop, she almost galloped on past. But remembering what had happened to Merlin, she pulled up neatly behind him with the others. Then she saw what had stopped the knight: black wings gleaming through the rain ahead of them. At first, she thought the dragon had followed them. But she soon realised the wings were black metal at the top of a standard carried by a troop of wild-haired men on shaggy horses.
    Sir Bors swore under his breath. “I
thought
we were being followed,” he muttered. “That’s Mordred’s eagle – the young fool must