My Royal Pain Quest (The Lakeland Knight series, #2) Read Online Free PDF

her horse’s neck, making it go a little faster. “By the way, you can tell me stuff. I know how to keep my mouth shut.”
    “That’s good. I am here on business, and it does require secrecy. I will tell you more when the time comes.”
    She nodded and rode in silence.
    “My turn to ask questions. You mentioned you’re out of work, what sort of work would that be?”
    “Have you heard of Roderick’s gang?”
    “The gang of highwaymen in northern parts of Ulkaria?”
    “That’s the one. I was in it.”
    So she wasn’t a pirate, she was a highwaywoman. Close enough.
    “I suppose that explains your skill with the blade. What happened to the gang?”
    “Roderick chickened out. Got scared of that Lakeland Knight fellow and dismissed us.”
    Oops. Her job loss was my fault.
    “I take it you’re not a fan of the Lakeland Knight, then. Good. Neither am I.”
    I looked around. We were riding up the mountainside, moving along a rocky trail in the woods. The pathway was narrowing. Soon enough it was not going to be possible to ride side by side.
    “How far is the hermit’s house?”
    “Not far, we can actually see it from here. Under that pine tree.”
    I couldn’t see it.
    “Where?”
    “Over there,” Cassandra pointed again, “behind those shrubs. Triar painted his house green, so that it’s harder to notice.”
    “Not exactly a people person, huh?”
    “No. What do you want from him, anyway?”
    “I need his help with something.”
    “Help??” She scoffed. “Good luck with that.”
    The trail was getting too steep for horses. Just when I was about to point it out to Cassandra, she pulled on the reins, stopping her mare.
    “All right, let’s stop here. I’m not going to Triar, we are not on friendly terms. I’ll stay with the horses.”
    I had no objections. Having dismounted, I handed the reins over to Cassandra.
    “I wouldn’t advise running away with my horse.”
    She looked at me in indignation. “Who do you think I am?”
    “A highwaywoman.”
    “Well, yes, but that does not mean I can’t be trusted. When I work with someone, I play no tricks. Besides, you owe me more than your stuff is worth.”
    The latter made sense. I nodded and headed to the green log house, barely visible through foliage.
    There was no response when I knocked, so I knocked again.
    “Go away,” came an annoyed voice. “Triar’s not home.”
    Sure thing. As if I was going to believe that.
    “If so, I will wait until he returns. I come from King Osmund of Ulkaria, on important business.”
    Slow footsteps made a creaking noise, then came the sound of the door being unbolted. An old man emerged, small, skinny, with long white hair and beard—pretty much what I expected.
    “Any proof of that claim?” he asked, looking me over.
    I produced the medallion. The hermit took it, brought it close to his eyes and inspected both front and back.
    “Come inside.”
    I followed him into the house. It was dark, dusty, and full of books. Books were everywhere: on and under the table, chairs, desk, stacked on the floor, packed in wooden boxes—all that in addition to bookshelves lining every wall.
    “Sorry for the less than warm welcome,” the hermit said. “I’ve got to keep idle gawkers away. Besides, I didn’t move all the way here to be bothered by visitors.”
    “I understand.”
    “So what does King Osmund need?”
    “He asks you to help me, and what I need help with is this.”
    I told him about the sword and three valiant deeds. Triar listened, nodding and stroking his beard.
    “So you want leads, so to speak,” he said when I finished. “Well, there’s a dragon in Belveran that keeps burning crops, a sea serpent that made its way up the river Flagsha and terrorizes nearby villages, a group of witches that put a spell on a whole town, making it disappear in fog… You might want to write it all down, there’s paper and quills over there.”
    I didn’t feel like doing a whole list of this stuff, three was