Children of the May (Children of the May Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Challenge

‘E-Elia h-has been telling us the t-truth ever since we arrived.’

I spoke in a whisper. We were going through the dark forest quietly, so as not to attract the beast. Mordred had brought a torch, which he had lit from Hilda’s fire before we left the hut. ‘W-W-Without ever knowing it h-herself, I think, not at the f-front of her mind. At l-least, I hope not. The s-song about King Pellinore and the Questing Beast – the quest that’s a d-d-d-distraction from the real quest. The false quest that n-never ends. L-L-Lady B-Bertilak showed us a c-copy of the b-beast to stop our quest.’

Mordred nodded. ‘Her story about the witch Circe fattening up Odysseus’ men so she could eat their bacon, the one she told on the first day. That’s what Lady Bertilak’s been doing to us. Fattening us up, keeping us lazy. Stopping us from returning to the mainland and waging war on Arthur. Distracting us. The roar of the beast that scared Palomides’ horse and threw him. Making us look inward, rather than over the sea.’

‘Did Accolon t-tell you what Castle Eudaimon m-means, Mordred? Castle H-H-Happiness. That’s why Lady Bertilak s-sent the fake –’ I couldn’t bring myself to say Margaret’s name out loud. ‘She thought it w-w-w-w-w-would m-make me happy. K-Keep me away from P-P-P-Palomina. M-Make me forget our suspicions. S-Stop me visiting H-Hilda. And the f-fake M-M –’ I couldn’t say any more.

Seeing I was upset, Mordred changed the subject. ‘Is Lady Bertilak on Arthur’s side?’

‘She used to b-be on M-Merlin’s, Avalon showed me that. B-But he abandoned her h-here. She b-b-b-b-been here ever since she t-tried to mine the island’s magic, l-long before Arthur was b-born.’

‘And the invisible servants at the castle?’

‘Spells, I-I-I think. D-D-D-D-Disguised from Ep-p-p-picene somehow.’

‘And Lord Bertilak?’

‘P-P-P-Perhaps there isa lordBertilak. B-B-But he’s never been here.’

We walked on in silence. I smelled stinkweeds, and realised we were approaching the waterfall. When Mordred next spoke he was tentative.

‘So she’s giving us what we want to keep us here. Quests and jewels and jousts.’ He was breathing heavily. ‘But might that mean that Melwas and I don’t really feel…?’

I didn’t respond until we were by the pool at the falls. I couldn’t now be certain that what I had heard and felt within the minds of Mordred and Melwas was real. All those feelings could be part of Lady Bertilak’s illusions.

‘The i-important thing n-now is to break the spell and get off the i-island. W-We can only be sure of w-what we see when we get back to the m-mainland.’

It was first light by the time we reached the castle on the cliffs. The sun was rising brilliantly above the castle’s three towers. A covered wooden stand had been erected by the tilting ground in front of the castle walls.

Mordred frowned. ‘That wasn’t there last night. It looks like someone wants to watch us joust in comfort.’

It had been a long night, and one without sleep for me or Mordred. But it was not time for bed: this had to be the day that we broke Lady Bertilak’s hold over us, or I feared we would never escape from her. Mordred wanted to go and confront the lady directly.

‘She’ll j-just k-keep lying. L-let me and Epicene find a way to reveal the enchantments to you all.’ I stopped him at the threshold of the gatehouse. I was ashamed of what I had to say next. ‘W-Will you find Christian for m-me? I-I don’t know where he is.’

‘Of course I will.’ He smiled. ‘I’ll find you nephew for you.’ He walked into the castle, shaking his head at Hilda’s flight of fancy.

I ran straight up the north tower and knocked on Epicene’s door. When she eventually opened up it was the first time I had seen her looking anything less than immaculate. She was pulling on her gown and her white eyes were bloodshot. She looked irritated by my presence – perhaps because it was earlier than she wished to be disturbed, perhaps because of my behaviour in the library the previous afternoon.