Scarlet

John sighed. “Christ, you had me, Scar. When you came running hell for leather, I thought everything was done.”

I shrugged. “It were Gisbourne. But the twins looked hale and hearty, and we’ll get them out tomorrow.”

Rob nodded. “So far, your plan is flawless, Scar.”

I started to smile, but him saying he wished he never saw me popped into my ears. I looked down instead. “We’ll know tomorrow.”

He nodded again. “We should all get some sleep. Tomorrow will be complicated enough.”

When we rose, my heart were unsteady. Seeing Gisbourne’s face so close had rattled me sure, and though it had been dead dark, there were some tiny terror in me that he’d known me.

He couldn’t have known me. It were too dark, and besides, I’ve changed.

’Course, there were the eyes. He could know the eyes. And the scar.

But the light were too low for him to get a fair look at either. He couldn’t have known me.

Every bit of me hollered to run away and go nowhere near the castle, and I did nothing of the sort. It were unbelievable foolish to not trust one’s own bits; this were the sort of stupid muck that you got into by caring ’bout other people. I were haunted by the feel of my hand on Ravenna’s all night through.

I waited by the side of the road until I saw Tuck’s wagon round the corner, just like we planned. I hopped up beside him when he slowed. “Robin thanks you for this, Tuck,” I told him.

He nodded. “I do love Robin, but I’m doing this for those twins. You just make sure it runs like sunup and sundowns, Scarlet.”

My stomach pushed into my pipes. “Yes.”

“And I’m sorry already for having to hit you around in a bit.”

I nodded and put up my hood, and we rode to the castle in quiet. It were strange; the pitch of the wagon were gentle and fair even, and for a breath I felt like this might have been the way of my life, if I were a boy in true, if I hadn’t had the cursed luck to ever be born a girl.

The guards stopped us at the gate, and they inspected Tuck’s barrels. This weren’t the hard part, ’course. This were the “no yap, no trap” part, and all I had to do were keep my mouth shut.

They let us pass, and the slow and easy pitch of the wagon continued. We rolled through the lower bailey, and there I slid off the wagon. I went quick to the air vent, trusting that Rob, Much, and John would uphold their own parts.

With a twist and a jump I slid down the vent, bringing dry dirt in behind me. I dropped to my feet; my knee hit a touch hard and smarted, but it weren’t broken. I stood, running for the twins’ cell.

“You’re too late,” Godfrey told me, his voice something mournful.

Ravenna were gone.

Chapter Eight

Godfrey, what have they done with her?”

He hit the bars. “Nottingham came down here after you left, and he saw her. He said she was pretty and then she was just gone. Goddamn you, you coward! You could have fought him off last night; you could have taken us then. This is your fault!”

My hands shook as I picked the lock. Tears were pushing at my eyes and I felt like retching. “I’ll get her free,” I promised him. My voice were a bare squeak. Christ, and the sheriff just lost his mistress to the birthing chamber, if that Alice lass the day before were such.

The door swung open and he charged at me, slinging a punch across my face. I didn’t even bother fighting back. I hit the bars and he hit me again. I fell, and he kicked me. “Goddamn you, Will Scarlet!” he spat.

He stepped back, and I reckoned he were done. I got to my feet. I could bare see straight; my eyes felt like they were rolling loose, and every time they rolled, gunpowder went off in my head. I went to the next cell, and it took me a few minutes too long to pick the lock on that.

“What’re you doing?” the prisoner asked. “Get the lad out of here!”

“We can take six,” I told him. “So we’re taking six.”

I opened four more cells, and by then the pain didn’t feel so god-awful. On my face, at least. There were a sickness I felt that retching wouldn’t cure. Godfrey were right. It were my stupid plan, and I failed them both.

Rob and John came into the prison to meet me. “What’s taking so long?” Rob asked. “Where’s Ravenna?”

Godfrey shoved me from behind, and I fell to my knees. “Ask this miserable vermin!” he roared.

Rob picked me up. Not by the arm, like he’d do with a lad; he took one of my hands in his and with his other arm caught me up by my waist, pulling me to his side and a bit behind him. His voice were steel and his arms sure felt like it. “Do that again, Godfrey, and I’ll lock you back up myself.”

“Nottingham has her,” I told him. My voice felt like I swallowed rocks. “Nottingham wants her.”

“Which one of you is actually the Hood?” one of the prisoners asked, confused.

“Me,” Rob said, lowering his hood.

“Your Grace!” several cried.

John started tossing out the robes he and Rob were wearing. “Let’s go.”

“Like hell,” Godfrey snarled. “I’m not leaving without Ravenna.”

“We’ll get her out,” Rob told him. “We need a plan first, though.”

I shook my head. “I’ll stay. I can’t leave her here. You lot get them out and get back in to help, however you can.”

“Not a chance,” Rob told me, his hold on me tightening, his ocean eyes locking on me and washing out the rest.

“Don’t be a fool, lad!” one of the prisoners told me. “You took too many blows to the head already.”

I glared at him from under my hood, but Rob just held on to me and pulled my hood back, looking full at what Godfrey’d done. Rob’s grip felt full to bruising, and for a moment I didn’t stop him. Any pain at that moment made the sickness feel a little less sick.

“You need to get them out of here, Rob,” I reminded, trying to shake loose of him.

“Not before I kill him,” Robin growled.

I saw Godfrey step back.

“You did this to her?” John roared, pushing Godfrey back from me.

“Her?” Godfrey cried. “That’s a bleeding girl?”

“We need to go!” I yelled, pushing at Rob’s chest.

Rob didn’t budge, his fingers iron bands strapped round my own. “Only if you’re coming too.”

“Fine!” I snapped. I turned to Godfrey, shaking Rob off. “I’ll get her out or I’ll die trying, Godfrey.”