Read Online My Royal Pain Quest (The Lakeland Knight series, #2) by Laura Lond - Free Book Online Page B

stepped closer, curious.
    “What will it do?”
    “Watch.”
    The old man pulled out the cork and poured a drop of white liquid onto a flower that grew nearby. The flower bent down and stiffened, instantly covered with icy crust.
    The thugs backed away in fear.
    “You’re some kind of a wizard!”
    “Never mind who I am.” He put the cork back in and handed the bottle to the dark-haired guy. “Take it. I hope you have enough sense not to use it in public. Find some secluded spot.”
    The guy took it. “All right… So when they freeze up like that, what should we do?”
    “The girl’s up to you. The man must be killed. Help yourself to any of their belongings you like, but bring me his sword.”
    “You realize they are talking about us?” Cassandra asked, tugging on my sleeve.
    “Yep.”
    We kept watching and listening. Judging by the conversation, the imposter had approached the thugs, who were already trying to plot their revenge, and offered to help. They hadn’t taken him seriously at first but agreed to meet here. Now they were impressed, as well as intimidated.
    “Bring the sword and I’ll pay you with gold for it,” the old man went on. “Try to keep it for yourselves or sell it elsewhere and you’ll wish you were never born.”
    The black-haired fellow looked like he was no longer too happy about getting involved in this. “We’ll do as you say, no tricks. Don’t work any magic on us.”
    “I hope I won’t have to.”
    The imposter proceeded to tell them where they could find us, revealing that he knew exactly what route we planned to take to the Tenebrous Valley ; I figured Ragnar had to have a hand in it.
    “I will wait for you here a month from now. That should give you plenty of time.”
    With that, he left. I considered following and taking care of the old crook, but having a murder on my hands while on a noble quest could bring complications.
    The ruffians remained silent for a while, exchanging hesitant looks.
    “Well, boys!” the dark-haired guy said with forced cheerfulness. “Are we lucky or what?”
    “I don’t know, Degren…” ventured one of his buddies.
    “You fool! With this stuff, those two stand no chance against us. And if we have some of the potion left, the next several jobs will be very easy.”
    “What are you going to do, Mr. Arkus?” asked Frederick .
    “Well, with the invisible berries, it shouldn’t be too hard to relieve them of that concoction.”
    Cassandra shook her head. “That will not stop them. They’ll get some more, or come up with something else.”
    “You have a better idea?”
    “I think I do.” She turned to the Swirgs. “Can I use a flying berry while I am invisible?”
    “Yes, you can,” nodded Frederick . “They work in any combination. Watch out though, the ten minutes of invisibility are almost up. You need to take another berry for that.”
    “No, I don’t.” She popped a red and a white berry into her mouth. “No time to explain, just watch me and help. Make sure you all stay invisible.”
    The men were gathering leftover food, preparing to leave. Cassandra jumped up, flailed her arms a little, getting used to staying up in the air, then flew over the shrubs and hovered about two feet above the ground, right in front of the thugs.
    “He’s… I mean, she is so brave!” Reggie exclaimed, looking at her in wide-eyed admiration. “What is she doing?!”
    “I guess we’re about to find out,” I answered. “Let’s take another purple berry.”
    Cassandra’s invisibility ended in about twenty seconds.
    “Good day, gentlemen,” she said, showing up out of thin air.
    The thugs gasped, Degren almost fell over.
    “A sparkling!”
    “A gormack!”
    “A ghost!”
    Cassandra crossed her arms. “Neither of the three; worse. But I will not harm you if you behave.”
    Some of the men snatched their weapons, others were about to flee.
    “You are surrounded by my invisible army,” Cassandra warned, flying up a little