Page 79 of Queen of Sherwood

“Fucking hell, Scarlet,” Tuck sighed.

Frowning, Will marched in front of the Muddy Meddlers. Their smiles were gone. They stiffened, straight-backed as he studied their faces, garments, and demeanor. “Can you fight?” he asked the group.

Armison nodded for them. “We’ve been known to. Especially for Robin Hood.”

“That’s not what I asked. You won’t be fighting for Robin Hood, you’ll be fighting for your lives.”

Armison shrugged, unbothered. He didn’t seem put-off by Will. “Aren’t the lives of every Merry Man equal? That’s what we’ve heard. It’s what brought us to you—”

“Every life but hers,” Will growled, and thrust a finger behind him at me.

The man named Armison smiled. “As I said, sir: We fight for her.”

A few snickers swept through the group. It wasn’t often someone disagreed with Will Scarlet and didn’t earn harsh retaliation. The orphan boys and girls he’d been training to the bone loved to see it.

I already liked this fellow, Armison. He wasn’t afraid to stand up for himself or his people. Plus, I didn’t agree with Will, even though he announced it: I wasn’t more important than any man or woman here. That was the whole damned point. It was also why I didn’t like being called “Queen,” because we were trying to move away from kings and queens, far as I was concerned.

“You’re Will Scarlet,” said the gray-haired woman in the group. “Fiercest fighter in the shire.”

Will nodded. “I’ll be training you to fight like me.”

“We’ll be ready, sir,” the woman replied.

Will gave her an impressed pout. He turned to me and said, “I must admit liking their fire. Some of our own whelps could learn a thing or two from people who’ve clearly been in the shit once or twice.”

“Hoy . . .” Armison began, but trailed off.

Rosco, Tick, Jimmy, Griff—the boys who had snickered at Armison’s defiance of Will—wilted and made themselves scarce in the background. Knowing Will, they’d be facing double-duty tomorrow during training, and Tick punched Rosco in the shoulder for instigating the laugh-fest.

“Wulfric, Bess, see that these folks get a meal and a place to stay,” I ordered. My voice grew serious. “We have work to do, Merry Men. We’ll be needing all of you soon, to help conduct a raid. It will be dangerous.”

Everyone inched a bit closer. I had over two dozen men and women around me, and many more beyond that. All of them ready to fight for our cause. I had to hope we fought for good and justice tonight, because they believed we were.

I couldn’t let them down.

I also didn’t take for granted how far I’d come, and what it looked like with all those stern, hopeful faces staring at me. They were counting on me, and I saw the pride clear as day in my mates’ eyes.

If it weren’t for the time-sensitive nature of our mission tonight, I would’ve taken my boys out of the glade and pounced on them all over again. No hallucinogenic plants needed this time.

“I’m assuming what you’re speaking of has something to do with what Will found?” John asked.

I nodded, walked over to Will, and snatched the muddy-white garment he was toying with out of his hands. I held it up for all to see, showing the worn red cross of the Templar Knights across its front. “The path of the Templar,” I announced, “is the northeastern road heading from Nottingham to Ravenshead. If our intelligence is correct, it will be the path our mark takes. We don’t know when. Possibly tonight, so we will be ready.”

My eyes locked on Maid Marian’s over Will’s shoulder. She met my gaze, staring daggers, and firmed her shapely jaw.

I couldn’t tell her out loud, but I tried to do it with my eyes: You’d better not be fucking with us, Marian, or it’s your head I’ll come after.

THE SUN HAD VANISHED behind the trees completely. A purple sky greeted us, forlorn and vast, as we rode our steeds hard underneath the blanket of night.

I rode with my mates beside me. The Merry Men. I’d sent a few others to the western road to watch, just in case we got this wrong.

If we were wrong, there wouldn’t be time enough to regroup and attack Bishop Sutton’s carriage before he reached Ravenshead. At least we’d know we’d been duped, so we wouldn’t have to sit out here all night and freeze our tits off.

The chill was biting. I asked Will on the way, “What about Alan?”

“The dandelion rode with me for most of my search, then continued on to Ravenshead, like you asked.”

I nodded, biting the inside of my cheek. “I hate leaving him alone like this.”

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