Free Grail of Stars by KATHERINE ROBERTS

grinned. “You heard Sir Galahad. That ship takes nobody who’s not good enough. Seems you got to stay andhelp us look after the horses,
Sir
Cai.”
    Cai swung his lance at the squires, who closed around him in a threatening manner.
    Rhianna shoved the boys apart. She gripped Excalibur’s hilt and concentrated on Sir Galahad’s spirit. “Cai comes with us,” she said firmly. “If he’s good enough to carry the Lance of Truth, he’s good enough to sail on your ship.”
    The ghostly knight looked closer at Cai’s lance, which glittered in the mist like Excalibur’s blade. “That’s the lance my father stole from the Grail Castle!” he exclaimed.
    “Lancelot didn’t steal it,” Sir Bors muttered. “He was given it by one of the damsels.”
    “By Lady Elaine?” said a small voice, and they all looked up in surprise. Rhianna had almost forgotten Arianrhod, who leaned overthe rail beside Gareth’s ghost, listening eagerly.
    “How does the maid know about Elaine?” Sir Bors grumbled. “I thought Lancelot kept that part of his life a secret.”
    “Never mind,” Rhianna said. “Cai comes with us, all right? Get on board, Cai. I’m going to ride Alba for a bit.”
    The boy passed the Lance of Truth up to Arianrhod, who lowered the rope ladder for him. Cai scrambled up, while Sir Bors splashed into the water and quickly grasped the end before Arianrhod could pull the ladder back again. “Take the other squires and find some boats,” he called over his shoulder to Sir Bedivere. “We’ll meet you on the Tor. See if you can’t find that fool Lancelot on your way. I’m goin’ to have something to say to him when I next see him… letting Damsel Rhianna andher maid sail off into the mist on
this
ship! What was he thinking?”
    “I don’t think Father had much choice, Bors,” Sir Galahad said, looking at Rhianna in amusement. “She carries King Arthur’s sword, and it seems she knows how to use it.”
    Sir Bors hauled himself aboard and scowled over the stern at Rhianna and Alba. “When you get back on this ship, young lady, you and I are going to have a serious talk.”
    Rhianna pretended not to hear. She slowed Alba to wait for Evenstar, who was trotting up and down the beach with his nose to the ground, trying to pick up his rider’s scent. When she called him, the little horse galloped across the water and let her strap Elphin’s harp to his saddle.
    “Look after this harp for Prince Elphin,”she told the worried horse, giving him a pat. “We’ll rescue your rider as soon as I’ve found the last magic Light.”
    He say he will bite anyone who tries to steal it
, Alba said, shaking her mane.
Why is the big knight angry with us?
    Rhianna watched Sir Bors shooing away Gareth’s ghost. “He’s not angry. He just doesn’t understand magic.”
    As the mists closed around them once more, a shiver went down her spine. What did she really know about magic, despite having grown up in Avalon? Using the Sword of Light to control the knights’ spirits had left her trembling, and she couldn’t use the Crown of Dreams properly, not even to find her friend. Without Elphin at her side, with his violet eyes and his calming songs, she felt very alone.
    “Elphin,” she whispered. “Hold on, wherever you are. I’ll be back to help you as soon as I can.”

5
Grail Castle
    A ghost ship sailed from mortal shore
    Through mist and stars of ancient lore
    To fish king’s castle cloaked by night
    Where maidens guard the greatest Light.
    R hianna knew she would have to face her friends eventually, but she put it off as long as possible. The moon had turned the mists to silver by the time she told Alba to trot alongside the ship so she could climb over the rail.
    Sir Bors had lit torches on board so that the ship trailed fire through the night. He was holding a muttered conversation with Galahad at the tiller. Cai sat with Arianrhod near the mast. The maid had taken the Crown of Dreams out of her pack to polish