My Sparkling Misfortune (The Lakeland Knight) by Laura Lond, Alla Alekseyeva Page B

can put up with such a pest?"
    Jarvi snorted.
    "Only you, Lord Arkus, because of your unprecedented kindness."
    Somehow, I didn't get mad, I actually found it funny.
    "Well, don't be pushing it. My kindness has very well defined limits, as you know."
    "Thank you, Lord Arkus."
    I waved him off.
    "Go to bed. Do you sleep at night?"
    "No."
    "What do you do, then?"
    "Haunt the castle and scare folks, pretending to be a ghost. Just kidding."

    ∗ ∗ ∗

    I continued to train the troops, who deserved to be called so more every day. The warriors were getting stronger and better. One, named Sebastian, had become exceptionally good, no one could last long against him except me and Jarvi. Big, well-built, and quick, this fellow had obvious talent with the sword. I assigned him to train others, but Sebastian kept asking to pair up with me as well, every day. I didn't mind. It was good for him, he still had a lot to learn.
    That day, Sebastian asked me for a match when I'd already had two, and he just returned from an errand, so his strength was fresh. I agreed, certain that I would be able to face him just fine, and I did--until Madame Clementina decided to cry "Bravo!" from the balcony. It distracted me for a split second, but Sebastian used that second well. He hit me in the underarm, where there was a gap in my armor, rendering my left arm useless. I still finished the match and defeated him, but I knew that he got me good. When Jarvi removed the armor, my whole arm and left side were soaked in blood.
    "Let me heal it," the sparkling said.
    "Wait. It would announce to everyone who you are, and I do not want that."
    Warriors dropped their training and crowded around me, someone alerted the king who arrived within minutes with his personal physician. I did not like all the commotion, but there was no way of stopping it.
    Sebastian stood next to me, white as paper.
    "What have I done..." he kept muttering. "What have I done! I swear I did not mean to!"
    "I know you didn't. It was my mistake, I got distracted."
    The physician dressed my wound. King Osmund and everyone else insisted that I go home and stay there until fully recovered. The training could go on without me, the king said, with everyone following the set routine, and I would be able to send new instructions through a courier, as well as receive daily reports.
    Since Jarvi was going to heal me, I knew I did not need a long time away. I assured that I only needed a couple of days, which they of course tried to dispute, and left.
    The sparkling took care of my wound in the carriage. I was starting to feel a little dizzy from blood loss; he healed that as well.
    "Thank you, Jarvi. Did you see it happen? How foolish of me!..."
    "I saw it, it was indeed an accident. Madame Clementina knows she is to blame. She fainted."
    "Good."
    I moved my arm. No pain at all, as if nothing was ever wrong.
    "Well, Jarvi, it looks like we've got a two day break. There is no way they will let me back to the training ground before that."
    "You can use some rest. You know, I have found something very interesting in the castle's library that I want to show you."
    "What is it?"
    "You'll see when we get home."
    "Can't you say what it is?"
    "No, it will ruin it."
    So I had to wonder what it could possibly be for the rest of the ride. Castle Fezar had a decent library, which I had not yet investigated, sending Jarvi for books instead. With his nosiness, he must have left no book unturned. I suspected that's where he spent his nights.
    We arrived to the castle and went straight to the library. Jarvi picked up a thick, leather-bound tome. It looked old; faded golden letters on the cover said, My Life Story . There was no author name.
    "Someone's memoir? Whose?"
    "Take a look."
    Jarvi opened the book on the first page. I wanted to take it from him, but he wouldn't let me.
    "No, read like this. I will hold it."
    "You're weird. All right, let's see..."
    I began to read. After just one line, I was too amazed