Audrey Mackaman - Quest for the Grail

N IGHT HAD COME TO C AMELOT, BUT C AVALL couldnt sleep. It felt like every strand of fur on his body was on end, waiting for something, like the moment right between the lightning bolt and thunder.

The royal bedchamber was dark and peaceful. Beside him on the rug, Luwella lay absolutely silent and hardly moving. Even in sleep she maintained her wolfhounds poise. On the bed, Gwen and Arthur were likewise sound asleep, their breathing steady yet mistimed with each other. No restless tossing. No crying out. Their dreams were peaceful.

Why was he the only one who seemed on edge?

Maybe if he rolled over... No, that didnt help. But maybe if he tried another position... No, that didnt work either.

Be still, Luwella groaned, not bothering to open her eyes. It is difficult enough to sleep in this heat without you fidgetink. She then muttered something about how summer was not so hot in her homeland before rolling over.

Cavall sighed. Perhaps Luwella was right and he couldnt sleep because it was too warm in the room. He scooted off the rug and flopped onto the cooler stones. That seemed to work for a while, until the waiting-for-thunder energy built up and shot into his long, gangly legs. Maybe he just needed to work that energy out.

He kicked out in one direction. Then rolled over and kicked out in the other. Then rolled onto his back and began kicking with all four legs at once while twisting from side to side.

What is that beast of yours doing? Gwen cried.

Go to sleep, Cavall! Arthur said with a groan.

Chastised, Cavall rolled back onto his stomach and laid his head between his front paws. He vowed that even if he couldnt fall asleep, he would lie here, perfectly still, until morning. He could manage that. He could be a good dog.

As he lay there, staring at his paws, he felt a flea moving on his back haunch. And, well, he couldnt just leave it. He turned and gnawed at the itch. The flea tried to hop away, and Cavall chased after it, down his leg to his back paw, until he caught the critter. Then he had to scratch the itch it had left behind and lick his fur back into place and...

I never knew a dog could lick so loudly, Gwen complained.

The bedsheets rustled, and Arthur sat up. Ill see to it. His bare feet hit the floor, and he stood with a groan.

Cavall sat up as his person padded over to him, bringing the familiar and comforting scent of wild rivers and gentle rain. He always felt so special when his persons attention was on him, whether it was a scratch behind the ears or a kind word. Cavall couldnt stop his tail wagging furiously.

Arthur let out a yawn and leaned down. Youre keeping us awake, you know. The thumping of Cavalls tail ceased as Arthur grasped him by the collar and led him out of the room. With a sorry, boy and a pat on his rump, the king of Camelot closed the door and returned to bed.

Cavall sat alone in the dark hallway, waiting for Arthur to come back and let him inside. But he didnt. On the other side of the door, the sound of snoring took up a steady tempo. The longer Cavall sat there, the more agitated he became, until he finally stood and began pacing.

He paced and paced and paced and didnt see a single other soul up or down the hall. The only light came from the moon through the windows, casting shadows on the wall. The air was thick from the heat and seemed to muffle even the sound of his toenails clicking on the stones. Occasionally, the hoot of an owl disturbed the stagnant summers night. Everyone else was asleep.

Cavalls legs were like coiled springs full of energy. It felt like he needed to be ready for something, though he couldnt say what or why. He pawed at the rune stone around his collar. A gift from the Lady of the Lake, it was supposed to warn him of danger, but it wasnt doing anything at the moment. There shouldnt be anything to worry about.

As he rounded a corner, something caught his eye. A faint glow coming from under a door at the end of the hall. So, someone was up at this time of night. But he couldnt smell smokeeither from a fireplace or a candleso what was causing that glow? Curiously, he approached. Soft voices came from within. He perked his ears up and listened.

A womans voice said, Did you think I wouldnt notice one of my books missing?

A mans voice said, You still dont trust me.

Cavall knew those voices. The womans voice belonged to Morgana, a witch who lived in the fay woods. Bad things happened when she was around. The mans voice belonged to Morgana and Arthurs son, Mordred. Bad things happened around him, too.

Cavall pressed his nose against the door, and it opened a sliver, enough for him to stick his head inside.

Mordred knelt in the middle of a ring of candles, busily flipping through an enormous book. Even from here, Cavall could smell its pages, ancient and earthy, like something from long ago. Mordred looked up from the book and into a bucket at his side. Cavall cocked his head. That seemed an odd thing to do, let alone in the middle of the night. The contents of the bucket glowed and cast an eerie light all about the room, throwing dark shadows across Mordreds face. His eyebrows knitted together in concentration.

In the far corner, Cavalls brother Glessic lay with his head resting on his front paws. He looked thoroughly bored, but then again, Gless never seemed interested in anything. Not in making friends, not in his own brother, not even in his own person. Not in anything except proving he was better than everyone.

There was no sign of Morgana, but a moment later, her voice echoed from inside the bucket. What have I told you about fooling with my spell books? Those spells are dangerous, Mordred, even for those who have been trained in the magical arts.

Mordred gritted his teeth. How do you know I cant do it? Youve never even let me try.

I know which spell you wish to try, Morganas voice scolded. No magician has ever successfully performed that spell. Even the great wizard Merlin.

Then perhaps I will be the first.

Mordred, Im warning you, as your mother, dont

Mordred abruptly stood and kicked the bucket over. Water spilled out onto the floor. The glow vanished, along with Morganas voice.

Ill show her, Mordred muttered to himself.

You should listen to her, Gless said. His voice startled Cavall. Hed almost forgotten his brother was there, and that he could speak to Mordred. The magic that bound him to Mordred as a familiar gave him the ability to do all sorts of things like that. She knows magic better than you do.

Not you, too, Mordred said. Youre my familiar. Youre supposed to be on my side.

Gless sniffed. Im on my own side.

Mordred huffed in disgust and went back to studying the book. Ungrateful beast.

Cavall wasnt sure what he had just seen, but it made him feel on edge, like his stomach was full of bees. He turned from the door and ran for Arthurs room. He needed to find a way to warn his person that Mordred was using magic in the castle.

As he galloped along, the rune stone on his collar began to vibratesinging, the Lady of the Lake had called it. It wasnt a noise, exactly, but a deep rumbling just below the threshold of hearing. Danger was near. Cavall ground to a halt and stood there, his heart beating as rapidly as the stone itself.