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
But William couldn’t care about his slip. He turned around to squint at the distant gathering again, just in time to realize they were not poles at all, but longbows. His gut twisted, and this time he used his full voice. “Archers!”
He could sense the release of the arrow volley at the edge of the world, just a whisper in the air. Richard’s soldiers didn’t panic, they methodically unslung their shields and knelt in defense. William slid his own shield up to Robin, maneuvered behind the horse for protection, watching the attackers the whole time. The arrows fell limply down from above, rattling and snapping harmlessly against shields, or missing entirely. But a few screams were there, too. When the volley was over, William emerged from behind the horse to see the cluster of dignitaries in the center of the courtyard stumbling to their knees, and then the ground. Goddard, too, had been pierced through the chest, and staggered down into a lump.
Behind William, the English soldiers that had been standing at attention, shields still raised to their shoulders, were now swarming down the terraces, good men. Battle cries, and a stampede of soldiers eager for a solid kill. But Robin, in a commanding voice that William had not heard from him before, called out, “Hold! Hold!”
He held his broadsword aloft, demanding attention. Though the violence of the moment had taken over many, some obeyed and slid to a halt. The screams of those rushing forward died down until all were staring at Robin, sword still held high.
Good for him, William thought. There’s a Lionheart.
It was a hell of a moment—an army stopped in its tracks, seeking direction rather than revenge. The archers on the far rooftop were not preparing another attack, and there did not appear to be any other surprise groups making assaults. The citizens were as shocked as anyone. Had the army surged forward in retaliation, they would have butchered a hundred innocent civilians in a heartbeat. Instead, Robin only needed to send one contingent to seek out the archers and—
“Hold!” Robin yelled again to the men. But he was jolted by his horse, kicking and fighting at the reins. William realized she had taken a few arrows in her side … and one had penetrated Robin’s shin, deep, through the muscle.
“Hold—” once more, but the horse hopkicked in pain and Robin lurched forward.