Almost finished with their run, a group of ordinary people in their own extraordinary circumstances rounded their final corner, breathless and pushing themselves for a final sprint. Robin had not come back for their worship. But the fact they idolized him was proof that they needed help. Marion—and his father—had tried to build a world for them that they could shape for themselves. The opportunity was there, but none of them knew how to do it.

For too long, Robin had thrown his hands out in the air when people refused his help, as if to say, Well, I tried. But the world is too hard.

This time, instead of throwing his hands up, he was digging his heels in.

“Well, what about you?” Robin turned the question around. “Why are you here, Friar?”

Tuck grinned and picked up his cup. “Beer!”

“Excuse me?”

“John Little stole a ransom worth of beer from my village. I asked him where he was going and whether they needed a friar. He accepted.” Tuck waited for Robin to laugh, then threw his good arm around Robin’s shoulder. “I’m no hero, either, I’m afraid. Heroes die gloriously. But drunkards always survive.”

THEY SPENT LESS TIME thieving lately, as their inflow of new blood often brought supplies of their own. Besides, every encounter on the road brought an increasing element of danger now. Alan had brought back troubling news from his scouting shifts. In the two weeks since Bernesdale, the Sherwood Road had seen heavy use by contingents of guards from Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, headed toward the city. By Alan’s description, a veritable army was being amassed in Nottingham. Robin accompanied him this day in the hopes of seeing some for himself, in case Alan didn’t understand what he had seen. If Alan was right, he had to wonder if going to the Sheriff’s funeral would indeed be suicide.

Stalking through the Sherwood again. It was a recurring hunt with a rotating cast. Robin wondered what William was doing now, what he was preparing. Again and again he replayed their conversation at Locksley, wondering what he could have said differently. William had tried so hard to send him home, before he had even explained what he’d done. That meant there was hope. William couldn’t face Robin with his actions, because he knew he was in the wrong. After they rescued Will and Elena, once they stole William’s victory, he would see reason.

He’d return to the war.

He’d have to.