Read Online Sword of Light by KATHERINE ROBERTS - Free Book Online
Authors: KATHERINE ROBERTS
Ads: Link
think he’s some sort of new-fangled emperor, sending his men riding about the countryside with it. Keep together!” he called, setting his heelsto his horse again. “We’ll lose them in this weather, if we’re lucky.”
Elphin flashed her a purple look, and they were off again.
As Alba passed Sir Bedivere’s horse, Rhianna gave Cai an encouraging grin. The squire did not grin back. He was clinging to Sir Bedivere’s cloak, bouncing like a sack on the poor chestnut’s hindquarters. They heard a shout behind as Mordred’s men gave chase, then Sir Bors led them downhill seeking cover. This was harder. As the hillside grew steeper and rockier, the mist horses balanced themselves with ease, Evenstar misting to avoid the rocks and Alba jumping them. But Sir Bedivere’s horse stumbled and Cai lost his hold on the knight’s cloak. He tumbled over the chestnut’s tail and landed in a gorse bush with a yelp.
I am glad he was not riding me,
Alba said.
Sir Bedivere’s horse plunged on, the reins too slippery for him to stop. Sir Agravaine passed the boy at full gallop and yelled, “Stay down! They mightn’t see you!” Sir Bors’ bay had already vanished into the fog.
“Don’t leave me!” Cai wailed.
Rhianna didn’t hesitate. If these men had killed a king, they wouldn’t stop at murdering a squire. She wheeled Alba, with Elphin and Evenstar close behind. Cai was running after them, screaming at them to stop, chased by a large black horse. As its rider raised his bow and took aim at the puffing squire, Rhianna headed Alba towards him and dragged the shield off her back. Behind her, Elphin pulled his harp out of its bag.
“Cai!” she called, throwing the shield atthe boy as she galloped past. “Catch!”
Cai dived for the shield, a look of relief in his eyes. But it turned out he could catch no better than he could ride. The shield slipped through his grasping hands and rolled under his pursuer’s hooves, while the arrow – cheated of its target – hissed straight for Rhianna.
The first few notes from Elphin’s harp glittered out into the rain, but too late. She just had time to hear Sir Bors yell a challenge as he galloped back up the gorge, and saw his sword flash out of its scabbard. Then the arrow thumped into her breast and she seemed to hang in midair while Alba raced on into the cloud.
Everything went very quiet. Surprisingly, there was no pain, just a warm glow that made her whole body tingle. She felt as if all she had to do was spread her arms and fly away.
Is this what it feels like to die?
she thought.
Through a hole in the mist, she saw a ghostly figure standing on the crest of the hill staring at Camelot’s towers. Light shimmered from his cloak and his flowing hair. He had his back to her but he seemed strangely familiar.
“Father…?” she whispered, afraid to break the spell.
The ghost turned his head and gave her a startled look.
Then sky and hillside whirled into one, and she started to fall.
She came round lying on her back amidst a confusion of trampling hooves. Someone was sobbing. The sound reminded her of the Avalonians mourning King Arthur’s death.She brushed wet hair from her face and knocked the arrow off her breast. Remembering her vision, she quickly sat up and looked for the shining figure on the hill. But the ghost had gone.
“Girl’s still alive!” someone grunted in surprise.
Hands gripped her elbows and dragged her up from her grassy bed, bringing her face to face with the winged standard. She swallowed her scream and shook her head to clear it of stars. Had she really seen her father’s ghost? The strange warmth still tingled through her body. At least it had stopped raining.
Cai sobbed in the grip of a dark-haired man wearing a dented bronze breastplate. A second man had hold of Elphin. The Avalonian prince stood very erect and still, his purple eyes fixed onRhianna. Evenstar pawed the ground, held by a third man who had also taken Elphin’s harp.
Elphin flashed her a purple look, and they were off again.
As Alba passed Sir Bedivere’s horse, Rhianna gave Cai an encouraging grin. The squire did not grin back. He was clinging to Sir Bedivere’s cloak, bouncing like a sack on the poor chestnut’s hindquarters. They heard a shout behind as Mordred’s men gave chase, then Sir Bors led them downhill seeking cover. This was harder. As the hillside grew steeper and rockier, the mist horses balanced themselves with ease, Evenstar misting to avoid the rocks and Alba jumping them. But Sir Bedivere’s horse stumbled and Cai lost his hold on the knight’s cloak. He tumbled over the chestnut’s tail and landed in a gorse bush with a yelp.
I am glad he was not riding me,
Alba said.
Sir Bedivere’s horse plunged on, the reins too slippery for him to stop. Sir Agravaine passed the boy at full gallop and yelled, “Stay down! They mightn’t see you!” Sir Bors’ bay had already vanished into the fog.
“Don’t leave me!” Cai wailed.
Rhianna didn’t hesitate. If these men had killed a king, they wouldn’t stop at murdering a squire. She wheeled Alba, with Elphin and Evenstar close behind. Cai was running after them, screaming at them to stop, chased by a large black horse. As its rider raised his bow and took aim at the puffing squire, Rhianna headed Alba towards him and dragged the shield off her back. Behind her, Elphin pulled his harp out of its bag.
“Cai!” she called, throwing the shield atthe boy as she galloped past. “Catch!”
Cai dived for the shield, a look of relief in his eyes. But it turned out he could catch no better than he could ride. The shield slipped through his grasping hands and rolled under his pursuer’s hooves, while the arrow – cheated of its target – hissed straight for Rhianna.
The first few notes from Elphin’s harp glittered out into the rain, but too late. She just had time to hear Sir Bors yell a challenge as he galloped back up the gorge, and saw his sword flash out of its scabbard. Then the arrow thumped into her breast and she seemed to hang in midair while Alba raced on into the cloud.
Everything went very quiet. Surprisingly, there was no pain, just a warm glow that made her whole body tingle. She felt as if all she had to do was spread her arms and fly away.
Is this what it feels like to die?
she thought.
Through a hole in the mist, she saw a ghostly figure standing on the crest of the hill staring at Camelot’s towers. Light shimmered from his cloak and his flowing hair. He had his back to her but he seemed strangely familiar.
“Father…?” she whispered, afraid to break the spell.
The ghost turned his head and gave her a startled look.
Then sky and hillside whirled into one, and she started to fall.
She came round lying on her back amidst a confusion of trampling hooves. Someone was sobbing. The sound reminded her of the Avalonians mourning King Arthur’s death.She brushed wet hair from her face and knocked the arrow off her breast. Remembering her vision, she quickly sat up and looked for the shining figure on the hill. But the ghost had gone.
“Girl’s still alive!” someone grunted in surprise.
Hands gripped her elbows and dragged her up from her grassy bed, bringing her face to face with the winged standard. She swallowed her scream and shook her head to clear it of stars. Had she really seen her father’s ghost? The strange warmth still tingled through her body. At least it had stopped raining.
Cai sobbed in the grip of a dark-haired man wearing a dented bronze breastplate. A second man had hold of Elphin. The Avalonian prince stood very erect and still, his purple eyes fixed onRhianna. Evenstar pawed the ground, held by a third man who had also taken Elphin’s harp.
Similar Books
