Page 67 of Far From Sherwood Forest
“You’re supposed to help us stop it,” says Will. “That’s what the Spirit said.”
I’m starting to really dislike that damn Spirit.
Shaking my head, I try and fail to wrap my mind around it all. “This doesn’t make sense. Why would she send us here if she was just going to send us back?”
He shrugs. “She said she had her reasons but wouldn’t tell me what they were. Not exactly. She said youhadto come here, that this place would give you all the answers you needed to take down the prince.”
I scoff, an angry, bitter noise. “I’ve never met her, and I’m already sick of her fucking riddles. I don’t have those answers.”
“Maybe we should move this inside,” John suggests, glancing back toward the ranch house sitting up on a hill.
There’s no one around, but Lucas comes and goes around the ranch randomly to do his own work. While he’s never minded when we have company, finding three strange men in odd clothing in the middle of his field might raise some questions I really don’t feel like answering right now.
“Right,” I agree. “Let’s get into the bunkhouse.”
Turning around, I lead them in that direction. After I headup the steps to the porch, I open the door and hold it for the others to go in. Once Will, Alan, and Tuck are all inside, whispers of awe carrying out from their unfamiliar environment, John stops in front of me and narrows his eyes.
“You have some explaining to do.”
I nod, knowing he wants to know how I knew about the Spirit. “I will, but Henry might be able to explain it better. You know we have to tell him they’re here.”
John peers through the open door at our old friends and sighs. “That should be interesting.”
No kidding.
When loneliness starts creeping up on me, I recognize it. It’s familiar, its touch the only one I knew for a long time. Now that I’ve felt Robin’s touch, I hate this one even more than before.
Robin has been avoiding me for the last several weeks, which I don’t blame him for. If he wasn’t avoiding me, I’d probably be the one avoidinghim. I had sex with him, knowing I could never give him more. The memory of his tear-filled eyes still haunts me.
He doesn’t know it, but I did him a favor.
And then there’s Ivy, who I haven’t seen or heard from since she vanished from my office. I’ve tried to call and text her because she owes me fucking answers, but, of course, she’s become unreachable. I wanted to hurt Robin because he left me to face this world alone, but now I know I have someone else to blame even more.
She knows the next time I see her, I won’t be kind.
I might not be as alone as I was back then, but I may as well be. I see Brian and Laura around the park office, butthey both stopped trying with me long before now. Laura only ever speaks to me when forced, when she needs to pass along information or has to remind me to do my job that involves paperwork or emails. Brian is still friendly, overly at times, but our interactions don’t last as long since he lets my moods roll off his back much more easily.
I’ve seen John around doing wildlife tours with Spencer, and I know it’s because Robin sent him in his place. John has no reason to talk to me, and I think Spencer is still upset over the time I arrested his tour guide partner.
The days are pretty much the same. Then I go home every evening to yet another empty cabin.
Maybe if I ever get my hands on Ivy, I should convince her to take me back to Sherwood Forest instead of killing her.
But, as unhappy and lost as I’ve felt lately…I don’t know if I’d want that even now.
When my phone chimes with a text from Robin, it’s pretty clear by the way my heart kind of skips in my chest that I’m not quite ready to leave for good.
He wants me to come out to the ranch but doesn’t say why. I ask him how he got my number, and he tells me that he got it from Spencer who got it from Brian. I make a mental note to have a conversation with my fellow ranger about that later. When I ask Robin why I need to go out there, all he says is that it’s important.
Since I’m about to go on lunch, I figure it’s good timing at least. I’ve been trying to do better about not skipping as much work.
I just finished patrolling around the roads toward the back of the park, so when it hits noon, I head straight for the exit and get onto the country road that leads out to the ranch. Robin said it was important, and the first place my mind goes is to magic and the Spirit.
I swear, if Ivy has spoken to Robin and not me, I really am going to kill her.
Pulling into the drive for the ranch, I go through the open gate and head straight for the bunkhouse. As soon as I come to a stop, the front door opens, and Robin steps outside, most likely having heard me pull up.
Cutting the engine, I hop out of the cab. Robin is already walking my way, so I shut the door and lean against it with my arms crossed.
