During the endless, disgraceful trek after their horses had been stolen, Marshall had cursed about how their entire day was wasted. At first Guy had agreed with him, hot and furious, but the tiresome walk had given him a moment of clarity as well. It had not been entirely wasted, for they had learned two new things. First, they learned they could not simply rely on chancing upon Robin’s camp in their remaining few days.

And second, they learned that Will Scarlet hated Robin of Locksley.

“You’re blinded by your rage, Will Scarlet. That boy’s not on you. But your girl, Elena? You should never have brought her here, here of all places. You’ll both be dead soon, because you blamed the wrong person. I suggest you start thinking about your actions rather than just … doing them.”

Scarlet shook his head, the muscles around his eyes contracted. “What do you mean?” Finally, he was actually listening, rather than just waiting for his next opportunity to piss and shit.

“You’ll get them all killed, Will. In the name of revenge, you’ve killed all your friends. Was de Lacy really worth it?”

“The people will know I stood up for them.”

“That you stood up for them?” Guy sighed. “Don’t fool yourself. The people think the Sheriff was killed by Robin Hood.”

Scarlet kicked and stammered over his words. “Robin—? He’s gone! He left! He walked out on us—”

“Well, he’s back,” Guy sighed, “and he took responsibility for what you did. The people, they think Robin Hood will save them from their troubles. They love him, they flock to him in droves. He’s making a peace impossible. He’s going to lead an army of innocent people into a bloodbath.”

Guy searched Will’s face for any recognition of what he needed to do. The boy’s eyes darted back and forth, his lips whispered things he didn’t voice, until finally he figured it out.

“If he were gone,” Will pieced it together slowly, “things could return to normal.”

It was a painful way to play chess, but a checkmate is a checkmate.

“I can arrange for you and Elena Gamwell to both escape from here,” Guy whispered, now only inches from Will’s face. “No one will be stationed between here and the postern door, you can get out of the castle, safely. Out of the city, well that’ll be on you. All you have to do is find your way back to the Sherwood. In exchange for your lives, I want Robin’s.”

Scarlet glanced around the courtyard. Perhaps he remembered there was a world of possibilities open to him beyond the confines of these bars. Perhaps he was only pretending to consider it. But Guy had offered enough men a new chance at life now to recognize the flash of hope.

“If I kill Robin, they’d kill me.”