Chapters (76)
- Title Page
- Copyright Notice
- Dedication
- PROLOGUE
- PART I
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- PART II
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- PART III
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- INTERLUDE
- PART IV
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- INTERLUDE
- PART V
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- PART VI
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- INTERLUDE
- PART VII
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- PART VIII
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- EPILOGUE
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- Newsletter Sign-up
That was not far from the truth. “The plan is to prepare,” Robin tried to alleviate the man’s fears, hoping he did not sound as desperate as they were. “That’s what we’re doing. Don’t forget, this doesn’t end with getting our friends back. That’s where it starts. You can already see how many people are rallying to our cause, especially in the wake of the Sheriff’s raids. If we pull this off … when we pull this off … it’s going to be the start of something momentous. We’re getting people to stand up for change, a real change. A peaceful change.”
Their less-than-enthusiastic agreement was a little unnerving.
The only sounds that followed came from a clutter of birds somewhere in the central oak. Robin envied them, being largely certain the birds were not currently planning a rebellious assault on an impregnable castle. Not even one of them.
Eventually Tuck cleared his raspy throat. “Be careful about becoming a hero, Robin.”
Your father was something of a hero, Marion had told him.
“Don’t take offense now, but this isn’t your fight.” The friar tangled his fingers into the wild mess of his beard, but his eyes were piercing. “You never seemed to see eye to eye with your father’s ideas, but now you’ve walked away from your king to stay and tend to Walter’s dream. That sounds like a man who wants to be a hero.”
Of course he had considered it. It was impossible not to enjoy the attention. But it was not what brought him back.
Tuck stood and massaged his injured elbow. “I wouldn’t blame you. Where you came from, they praise the King for everything you do. But then you come here, and people are singing songs about you.”
“You wrote those songs, Tuck.” Robin pointed his finger. “Which I never asked for.”
“That’s true. But you came back. And I can’t tell if people are interested in this peaceful change you talk about … or if they’re interested in Robin Hood. Could be we’ve made you into something we shouldn’t have. So be careful. There’s no place for heroes in heaven.”
Robin laughed. Heaven had even less to do with his motivations than heroism. “Is that in the Bible?”
“There’s no heroes in the Bible, either.” Tuck was sharper now, he didn’t seem interested in Robin’s non-answer. “Just ordinary people, doing what they could. Even in extraordinary circumstances.”