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the mists in the land of men! Little shivers of excitement kept running through her. Merlin had promised that Arthur’s knights would be waiting for them, and she could already imagine the ranks of warriors on their great horses with their colourful banners snapping in the wind of another world. Maybe her mother would even be waiting with them?
    Over on the jetty, Merlin shipped his oars and checked his cargo. As well as several sacks of sweet apples, he had jars of healing herbs that grew only in Avalon, so he was taking a good supply. Elphin’s mother had put together a picnic for their journey, which had to go in the boat, too. Merlin also had theirpacks of spare clothes, though Rhianna had insisted on carrying her father’s shield and wearing her new armour. Elphin had his precious harp in a deerskin bag.
    Finally, Lord Avallach hugged them both, and they trotted their horses into the shallows. But their legs did not dissolve into mist on touching the water, as usually happened. Instead, Alba’s silver-shod hooves pranced lightly over the surface, sending up a glittering spray.
This is
fun
, said the mare. Elphin clutched his harp close to his chest, eyeing the water warily.
    Rhianna laughed at his expression. “Just don’t drop it,” she said.
    Soon the enchanted mist curled around them, and the shore faded from sight until it seemed they rode in the middle of a cloud. She longed to let Alba gallop. But Merlin rowedsteadily, his oars plopping like little fish. They did not head straight across as Rhianna had imagined. Instead, they set off in a loop around the island with Merlin leading the way, the silver spiral on his staff shining like a star in the bows. The mist grew thicker and began to sparkle, and she smelled magic. She glanced back to check on Elphin. He gave her a small, worried smile. When she turned round again, Merlin and his boat had disappeared.
    Unease crept over her as she realised she’d lost all sense of direction. What if they got lost out here and never found the shore again? Then she saw a shadow off to her left, blurred by enchantments. “There he is!” Not waiting for Elphin, she urged Alba into a canter to catch up.
    “Rhia!” Elphin called from a long way off. “Wait…”
    It wasn’t Merlin’s boat. Rhianna pulled Alba to a snorting stop. Squinting at the shadow, she thought she saw the druid standing on a rock with his staff raised to make purple lightning. A sudden chill seized her. Her skin prickled as something large and dark flapped past. The light dimmed still further, and for a horrible moment she was alone in the mists between worlds with unseen wings beating overhead. Dizzy, she gripped Alba’s mane and peered nervously at the sky. What if the mare misted, and she fell off out here? Then she heard Evenstar’s hooves splashing behind her and the light returned, showing them the shoreline through the thinning haze.
    Is it another race?
Alba asked flattening her ears at the other horse. Spooked by what she’d seen in the mist, Rhianna gladly loosened thereins to let the mare have her head. Merlin could look after himself, she decided, laughing in relief as the spray soaked her cheeks. It was like galloping through diamonds. Her heavy braid bounced on the shield strapped to her back. Alba’s silver-shod hooves flew over the water, carrying her towards her father’s land. Thinking of the dark wings, she let the mare gallop faster and further than she should have. Only when the horse’s hooves struck gravel did she reluctantly rein Alba back to a trot and look round for her friend.
    Elphin pulled up on her tail, breathing hard. “Are you all right?” he said. “That was a strong enchantment – I thought I’d lost you back there! Are those King Arthur’s knights, do you think?”
    Rhianna gave the beach a second look. She’d thought it deserted. But now she saw a smallband of men wearing dirty red cloaks, huddled under some willows that had already lost half their