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Chapters (76)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. PART I
  6. ONE
  7. TWO
  8. THREE
  9. FOUR
  10. FIVE
  11. SIX
  12. SEVEN
  13. EIGHT
  14. NINE
  15. PART II
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. PART III
  27. TWENTY
  28. TWENTY-ONE
  29. TWENTY-TWO
  30. TWENTY-THREE
  31. TWENTY-FOUR
  32. TWENTY-FIVE
  33. TWENTY-SIX
  34. INTERLUDE
  35. PART IV
  36. TWENTY-SEVEN
  37. TWENTY-EIGHT
  38. TWENTY-NINE
  39. THIRTY
  40. THIRTY-ONE
  41. THIRTY-TWO
  42. THIRTY-THREE
  43. THIRTY-FOUR
  44. INTERLUDE
  45. PART V
  46. THIRTY-FIVE
  47. THIRTY-SIX
  48. THIRTY-SEVEN
  49. THIRTY-EIGHT
  50. PART VI
  51. THIRTY-NINE
  52. FORTY
  53. FORTY-ONE
  54. FORTY-TWO
  55. FORTY-THREE
  56. FORTY-FOUR
  57. FORTY-FIVE
  58. INTERLUDE
  59. PART VII
  60. FORTY-SIX
  61. FORTY-SEVEN
  62. FORTY-EIGHT
  63. FORTY-NINE
  64. FIFTY
  65. FIFTY-ONE
  66. FIFTY-TWO
  67. PART VIII
  68. FIFTY-THREE
  69. FIFTY-FOUR
  70. FIFTY-FIVE
  71. FIFTY-SIX
  72. EPILOGUE
  73. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  74. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  75. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  76. Newsletter Sign-up

“That was a truly perfect use of vulgarity,” Guy said. FitzOdo was just one more variable that complicated everything. He had wrecked their search for Jon Bassett a month ago, and now had returned to presumably help hunt Robin Hood. Guy trusted the coward knight as far as he could spit. He’d dealt with FitzOdo’s master, the Baron de Busli at Tickhill Castle, on multiple miserable occasions. Red Roger thought himself a king within his own walls, and if FitzOdo captured Robin of Locksley first, there was no telling what would come of it. Rumor held that Prince John was spending his time at Tickhill lately, too, so it was no leap of logic to think FitzOdo was here on their behalf, to prevent Guy from finding Locksley at all. But by bringing them into the fold of the Black Guard, Guy could at least keep small tabs on FitzOdo’s movement.

“I’m not sure I know how to talk like an outlaw,” Silas mused. “Any suggestions?”

“Oh it’s not so hard,” Marshall jabbed at him. “It’s a lot of mine mine mine.”

“Just open your mouth,” Eric knelt and started rubbing dirt into his face, “and start lying. You’ll fit right in. Hey, Captain,” he turned, almost making himself laugh, “you want I should kick your ass a bit? That would certainly help you blend in.”

“You’re welcome to try,” Guy crooned back. “I hear you’re quite the fighter. Tell me again how you lost those teeth? How tall was the man you were fighting?” The boys laughed and hissed.

“Let him alone,” Ludic spoke up, a thing he only occasionally did, and it quieted them quickly. Until he followed with, “That’s the closest Eric’s been to a woman in years.”

They went about that way, slapping and poking fun at each other for a bit, and Guy was glad for it. Their spirits were still high, despite everything. Or perhaps they did not realize how much was at stake. What a wonderful, beautiful sort of ignorance. Guy occasionally wished he could know it—but he had risen to his position by his ability to see what others couldn’t, at the price of a fool’s joy.

A new voice bellowed from the entrance to the stables. “Look at this pack of limp-wristed assholes!” Guy did not have to turn to recognize Simon FitzSimon’s growl. “Make room. You’re going to need all the help you can get.”

“What are you doing here?” Guy asked his friend.

“Put me on a horse. I’m coming with you.”

Guy drew close and lowered his voice. “Simon, no. We each have our place, yours is here. You’re too valuable.”