My Sparkling Misfortune (The Lakeland Knight) Read Online Free Page A

hand, and before I could blink it was pointed at me. "Why? You want to taste it?"
    Uh-oh. So he was a little upset.
    "Hey now. You promised to be loyal to me."
    "True." He smiled and removed the sword. "But I never promised not to have fun."
    A feisty one. It looked like I'd have to teach him some manners.
    "You must do what I tell you, and I'm telling you to be respectful. Is that understood?"
    He gave a quick bow.
    "Yes, Mr. I-Don't-Know-What-To-Call-You."
    Well, he had a point here, too. I had not yet introduced myself.
    "'My lord' or 'master' will do very well," I said, "but if you wish to know my name, it is Lord Arkus of Blackriver Castle . Now, what is yours? I assume you have a name, too?"
    "Of course. I am Tulip."
    "Tulip?? What kind of a name is that for an evil spirit?"
    "I am no evil spirit."
    I gave him a long, hard look.
    "...Don't you joke like that. I appreciate a good bit of humor, but not of the kind that makes one's heart stop."
    "But I am not joking. I am not an evil spirit, I am what you call a sparkling."
    The world faded before my eyes.
    "WHAT?? A sparkling?! Are you telling me I have caught a sparkling?! A goody-goody spirit that helps heroes, watches over little children, and messes up villains' plans?!"
    "Well, that's a rather broad definition, but yes, generally speaking, that's what a sparkling does. What seems to be the problem?"
    I wanted to scream. And I did.
    "I WANTED A GORMACK!!!"
    "Oops. Your mistake. You should have picked Ragnar then. The one I was fighting."
    I grabbed him by the tunic collar.
    "Why didn't you tell me who you are?!"
    "I do not recall you asking."

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Chapter 3
    Even the most determined villains have moments when they feel like giving up and quitting. Do I need to say that I was having one after such a disaster?
    Everything I had been through, everything I endured... all in vain.
    I sat on the rock, with my back to the orange-haired misfortune, not wishing to move. Ever.
    Some time passed, and he walked around to face me.
    "I have regained my strength," he informed. "We can go now."
    "Get out."
    "Excuse me?"
    "I said get out. Get lost. Leave me alone."
    "For how long?"
    "Forever!!"
    "I am bound to you for six years. Have you got some kind of a memory problem?"
    Some other time, he'd get a good whack for such language, but at that moment I didn't care.
    "I don't want you. You can't serve me, anyway."
    "Why is that?"
    "Because I'm a villain, if you haven't yet figured it out."
    "I have. So?"
    As little as anything in the world mattered now, that piqued my interest.
    "You mean you still want to?"
    "I promised. I gave you my word."
    "And you would have no qualms about switching sides and helping me?"
    "Oh, I'm not switching sides, I will not help you in villainy. But I can still be of service, doing whatever harmless and good I can for you."
    Ha! Big deal.
    "Like what? Shining my boots? I can hire a regular fellow for that, without ridiculous hair. Good bye."
    "Well, whether you like it or not, I can't leave just because you have changed your mind. I gave you my word, and our deal is sealed."
    "I release you from it; consider yourself lucky. Now, get out of my sight before I change my mind again and make you shine my boots twenty four hours a day just for the fun of it."
    And there it came. The growl.
    Have you ever tried treating apathy and depression with mortal danger? From my experience, I greatly recommend it. I was up and running in no time. Somehow, even though my life seemed to be over, I still did not want to meet those fangs or claws.
    Where was I running to, you might ask, keeping in mind that there were no white towers in the region? Good question. I thought about it as well, as soon as I regained some portion of my ability to think. And I had no answer.
    The monster had snuck up too close, even closer than he did the last time in the cave. He leapt after me, and his paw hit my shoulder, sending me flying through the air--upside down--back towards