Page 121 of Queen of Sherwood

Alas, nothing is ever timely in Sherwood Forest.

Will’s eyes burned with utter rage. I understood his feelings, and I couldn’t deny him his anger. Not when I felt it burning so hot inside me, too.

In a low, groaning voice, I muttered, “So it begins.”

Chapter 32

Robin

“They rode in on their warhorses, dozens aplenty,” Landon said. His wrists rolled as he told his tale over a twilight campfire. Twenty men and women from our alliance listened intently, eyes wide open.

Landon was a natural storyteller. He spoke severely, dramatically, and I would have rolled my eyes if his story wasn’t so drastic and damning. So frightening.

“White cloaks flowing in the wind,” he continued, hands pantomiming the look of the fluttering breeze. “These were not knights in shining armor. They were harbingers of death and destruction.”

Our bandits gasped at the story. How cruel were these religious zealots, to strike so heartlessly on an unsuspecting village?

“They came too quickly for us to respond. All we could do was flee, lest we lose our lives. We had women and children to think of.”

Everyone nodded at that. It was understandable.

“Ravenshead was a place, your home,” Little John said. “Yet it was still just a place. You have your lives. We can help you rebuild.”

“What if we don’t want your help, bandit?” Landon sneered.

Now I did roll my eyes. This fucking man.

“Landon, friend,” Robert said. He was sitting closest to the big lout next to the fire, and put a hand on his arm. “We are not your enemies. If you did not wish for our help, why did you come to us?”

Landon clamped his jaw. He bowed his head, either in shame or anger, and then looked up at the flame, which sputtered righteously and reflected his rage in its fiery tendrils. “My apologies. I am not used to being considered an outlaw. It pains me greatly.”

“You’ll get used to it,” I said, and quickly earned a jab from Friar Tuck.

I supposed I wasn’t being very cordial, but neither was he.

Trying to put my childish retort behind, I let out a heavy sigh. “You did the right thing coming here, Landon. With your people. We can protect you, at least as much as we can protect ourselves.”

He stared at me over the fire, eyes narrowing. “We’ve heard tale of your own attack on the eastern pass from Nottingham to Ravenshead. Dead soldiers scattered across the road. I’m assuming you didn’t get out unscathed.”

“Nay. We did not.”

“Then how can you say you’ll protect us when you can’t even protect yourselves?”

My mouth opened to react. I chanced a look at Tuck, who shook his head, and then closed my lips. Folded them into my mouth, and gave him a nod of acknowledgement. “I suppose you make a good point.”

“What did the Templar Knights come for?” Uncle Gregory asked. “Did they say?”

“Well, sir . . .” Landon trailed off. He only spoke to Robert and Gregory—former soldiers—with any kind of respect. I tried not to hold it against him. “Only that it was holy retribution for Bishop Sutton. As if we had something to do with it. We only found out about Sutton and the dead soldiers during the Templars’ attack.”

I sat back on my log, bending my knee and wrapping my hands around it. “These are vicious men we’re dealing with.”

Landon’s eyes blinked slowly at me. “Would you happen to know the whereabouts or state of Bishop Sutton, woman?”

I didn’t blink. Didn’t look away. “It’s nothing for you to worry about, Landon.”

His nostrils flared. “It’s your fault our village is gone, far as I’m concerned.”

“Robin didn’t burn your houses or topple your buildings, you fucking dolt,” Will Scarlet said, standing from around the fire. He earned everyone’s eyes when he stood.

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