Scarlet

With that I flicked a knife at him that landed in the soft outer bit of his shoulder. He dropped his sword like deadweight, falling onto a knee with the heft of it.

An arm grabbed me round the waist and I stepped on the guard’s foot, then slammed my elbow to his face, knocking him out. At least that were one I didn’t have to kill. Another guard were opening the door to the tunnel, and I vaulted past Gisbourne. Clutching my last two knives, I flipped till I stood on my closed fists, the knives sticking out like wagon wheel spokes, and came up in time to spin my sharpest into his neck. He fell just short of the door, and twin threads of horror and victory spun through me at the sight.

Rob crested the stairs with a man covered in blood, bare walking on his own, leaning heavy on Rob. Gisbourne jumped to his feet, a black thrill in his eyes as he moved toward Robin. For a full breath I were frozen, staring. Gisbourne fixed on Rob, but Rob never so much as raised his eyes to Gisbourne. Rob were only concerned for getting the man safe.

Rob were a hero, through and through.

And I were none. But then, disreputable, angry, once-noblewomen had their place too, and whether Rob wanted it or not, I would always stand between him and Gisbourne. A thief could die to let the hero live.

It took me three steps, pushing off the dusty ground fast as I could, to get to Gisbourne. He were raising his sword at Rob, a twisted smile on his face, as Rob tried to pull the man away and weren’t fast enough. With a banshee scream I dove forward, darting at Gisbourne and tackling him round the waist, heaving him away from Rob. Gisbourne’s sword came clumsy down over my shoulder, and I shrieked as the blade split my skin in two, biting deep.

He grabbed my throat, flipping me over and heaving himself on top of me. He squeezed my throat, and water popped out my eyes. “That’s all I want, you little tramp,” he spat, spat in true, all over my face. “I want to see you die. I want to see the light tamp out of those devil’s eyes. You humiliated me and taunted me for all these years, and now I want to feel it as you die.”

I scrambled for breath, scratching at his face and twisting my legs ’bout. I punched his face but he just laughed, like he were possessed by some demon. I pressed my thumbs into his eyeballs and he swatted me away like a bug.

Fireworks were going off inside my own eyeballs, zigging strips of lightning that dazzled. I could feel my body flipping around without my say-so, panicking for air.

“Get the hell off her!” Rob yelled, and I saw his sword appear at Gisbourne’s neck, ready to stroke through his throat.

Gisbourne let me go and rolled away to block. Robin charged him. Between the smoke in the air and the lightning in my eyes, he looked like some angel, all holy fury and righteous fire. Their swords hit and sliced through the smoke, Robin battling him back fast. “Get to the tunnel, Scar!” he roared. “A guard made it in, I don’t know how far!”

I were still sputtering for breath, and a guard came at me, but I kicked him in the chest and sliced his face, sending him to the ground. “I won’t go without you!” I snapped.

“How sweet,” Gisbourne said, hacking at Rob. “So you’re the little drab’s new lover? Don’t believe her if she says she’ll marry you,” he taunted, lunging at Rob again.

“Get the guard or the people are dead, Scar! I’m behind you!”

“Guards, don’t let her get away!” Gisbourne called.

I fought off another guard, hesitating. “Rob, come now!”

Gisbourne backed him up against the wall, and Rob hacked him to the side.

“He’s a little busy, Marian!” Gisbourne said. He had blood on his face and it made his smile look like it were slashed with demon blood, wicked and mad.

“Robin!” I shrieked, letting the guards push me back.

“Dammit, Scar, get that guard now!” Rob ordered.

Every bit of me screamed, but I dispatched two more guards and made for the tunnel. I slammed the door behind me and started running, listening for the sound of the door opening again or for the heavy chain-mail steps of a guard ahead of me. It were pitch-black, but I listened, hearing the people’s voices far ahead, and a labored breath close by.

“Robin?” someone asked.

I touched a body, and it were wet with blood. “You’re hurt,” I said. “Where is he? Did he get far ahead?”

“Who?” he asked.

“The guard!”

He heaved out a breath. “I was hurt in the prison,” he said. “Where’s Robin?”

It were the man Rob brought out. I turned back, realizing what he’d done as my belly pushed up into my pipes and the world went off-kilter round my ears. I could hear guards now, entering the tunnel.

Rob had sent me running off without him, knowing he wouldn’t be behind. Knowing Gisbourne would kill him. He’d lied ’bout the guard, knowing it were the only way I’d leave him.

And he’d done it to save my life.

I dropped to a knee. My muscles couldn’t hold me none, and my eyes went wet. My head felt fair twisted, because half my heart squeezed with fear for him, with awful guilt, for his life were worth thousands of mine. Then, worse, the other half of my heart flew with the thought that maybe he trusted me after all. Maybe things weren’t as broken as I thought.

It were a terrible thought, for Rob might have been dying for me just then.

My mouth twisted to a frown. That damn hero needed a few lumps to the head if he thought I were just going to let him do it.

The heavy sound of chain mail rattled through the tunnel.

“Come on,” I told the injured man, struggling to my legs like a new foal and pulling his arm ’cross my shoulders. “We have to run now so I can get back to Robin.”

He hobbled and I ran, seeing bleak moonlight at the end of the tunnel, hearing the heavy steps come closer. John stood at the end of the tunnel, and he took the man from me. I turned to go back and he grabbed me. “Scar, can’t you hear them? The guards are coming!”

“Rob’s back there!” I wailed, fighting him. “Rob’s back there—I have to help!”

“You can’t take on the army yourself!”

“Get your damn hands off me!” I shrieked. “I have to help Robin!”

John didn’t let me go, climbing down and cutting the rope with me fighting him tooth and nail. Every inch farther he forced me sank and broke my heart. We were almost to the bottom when the guards appeared, watching us and the injured man climb down to Much and the rest of the villagers. John pulled me into the cover of the trees. “Christ, Scar, you’re bleeding everywhere.”