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been too dangerous. And it’s lovely here in spring. Sir Bedivere’s told me to pack a picnic for when you’re allowed out, the first sunny day we get. At least if Prince Mordred and his bloodbeards are meeting the knights up at the North Wall, we know they’re not terrorising people around these parts.”
    “I haven’t time to go on silly picnics!”Rhianna frowned at her friend. Then she had a horrible thought. “What if Mordred’s planning to attack Camelot while the knights are away in the north with Excalibur? He’s sneaky like that, isn’t he? If I haven’t got my sword, I can’t protect you! We’ve got to go after them, quick.”
    Arianrhod’s lips twitched.
    She glared at the girl. “It’s not
funny
, Arianrhod!”
    “I know, I’m sorry.” The dark-haired girl glanced at the door and closed it. She whispered, “But you see, the picnic’s just an excuse to get you out of here. We’re going to the North Wall as well. Elphin says he can get us there before the knights. I can’t tell you any more now. Just don’t do anything stupid before then.”
    Rhianna gripped the girl’s wrist in hope. “We’re going after them? But Sir Bors mademe promise… never mind. Are you sure we’ll be there before them? What’s the plan?”
    “Shh, the sentries will hear you.” Arianrhod glanced nervously at the door again. “I don’t know what your Avalonian friend is up to, except that it’ll involve some magic. We’re going to the spiral stones. They’ve got strange powers.” She touched the scar on her cheek and shivered. “Merlin used to take your father there… Lady Rhia, you’re hurting me.”
    Rhianna relaxed her grip, ashamed to see her fingers had left red marks on her friend’s arm. “Sorry… it’s all the sword training. I forget my own strength sometimes.” She took a deep breath and thought of the stones Arianrhod had mentioned. “Do you mean where we camped on our way from Avalon? I had a dream of Merlin there.”
    She looked at the window. It would be a lot easier to escape her guards on a picnic than stuck inside Camelot. If they were lucky, Merlin might even be there, waiting for them. She smiled. “Oh, all right,” she said loudly enough for the sentries to hear. “I’d better go on this picnic, I suppose. At least it’ll get me out of this stupid tower! I suppose my faithful guards are coming, too?”
    Arianrhod smiled back. “I expect so, and Sir Bedivere’s men of course, and probably some of the squires. But it’ll be fun, you’ll see, even if the magic doesn’t work.”
    When her friend had gone, Rhianna ate her breakfast thoughtfully. She wondered what Elphin had in mind. She needed to talk to him. But when she quietly opened the door that afternoon, hoping the sentries might havefallen asleep at last, they crossed their spears and grinned at her.
    “Not yet, Princess Rhianna,” they said. “Sorry. More than our lives are worth.”
    “But I want a bath.”
    “Your maid will bring you hot water. You’ve got everything you need up here. It’s only for day or two. And Sir Bors said if you try anything stupid like climbing out of the window, we’re to take you down to the dungeons for your own safety. So best not try, huh? You’d probably break your neck, any rate.”
    Rhianna retreated back inside. She checked the drop into the courtyard. An Avalonian could have done it, maybe. But she was human with no magic, and now she didn’t even have Excalibur so she couldn’t talk to Merlin if he did come back.

    The following days were the hardest of Rhianna’s life. More frustrating even than her childhood in Avalon, when Lord Avallach wouldn’t allow her through the enchanted mists to look for her parents. There, the magic had stopped her from leaving. Here she had two human guards instead, who escorted her about Camelot like a prisoner.
    When they let her out of her room on the second day, she almost gave them the slip and galloped after the knights on her