Page 36 of Far From Sherwood Forest (Far From #3)

Sunlight seeps through my eyelids, warm and persistent, dragging me slowly out of sleep.

I blink my eyes open, squinting. The air is suffused with gold from the sun’s rays slicing through the cracks in the wooden slats of the roof.

Dust dances around the beams like tiny, gilded ghosts.

A soft whinny comes from the other side of the stables, followed by the scuffing of hooves on the stall floor.

Henry is stretched out beside me, still fast asleep. He looks even more peaceful than he did at the waterfall the other day, like maybe a weight has been taken off his shoulders.

Last night, he let me clean the cum off his stomach with my shirt, though he seemed to almost revert back to feeling uncomfortable under that level of vulnerability, like he was having to resist his baser instincts to put all his guards back up.

Before he could, I tossed the shirt away and grabbed one of the clean stable blankets.

I tossed it over both of us and curled into his side.

We fell asleep like that, and, despite sleeping on a bed of hay, I slept hard. Last night was fucking amazing.

Like Henry said, it was perfect .

When he said that, I felt a swoop in my stomach like I was flying, like I had suddenly sprouted wings. For so long, I wanted him, and I wanted him to want me . For more than just sex.

After making love to him, I feel like, just maybe, he’s mine now.

With that thought, I move my hand to his chest, the blanket shifting over us, and brush my fingertips lightly over the dark hair there.

A soft rumble vibrates beneath my fingers, and I turn my head to place a kiss against his shoulder.

I move my mouth lower, placing more kisses along his upper arm until he starts to stir.

When his eyes open, they peer down at my hand still on his chest. He brings his own hand up and places it over mine, holding my palm flat against his warm skin. His chest rises and falls with an easy, steady breath, like my touch is teaching him how to breathe.

“Morning,” he says groggily.

The sleepy grin he gives me is fucking adorable.

Yes, I just thought of the former Sheriff of Nottingham as adorable, and I’m not sorry. However, I suspect he’d feel a certain way about it.

“Good morning,” I tell him before placing another kiss on his shoulder.

The grating noise of hinges creaking breaks through our little golden bubble as the doors to the stables are thrown open. Henry grips the edge of the blanket and brings it all the way up to my neck, clearly more worried about covering me than himself. I can’t help but grin.

Since Lucas is still out of town, I’m not too worried about being caught with my pants down—or all the way off in this case. After living in the woods for years, me and my Merry Men have seen plenty of each other.

“Heaven’s breeches!” Alan shouts as he slaps a hand over his eyes. “Could’ve hung a codpiece on the damn door or something.”

Henry and I both laugh, however mine fades quickly so I can bask in the sound of his deep, easy laughter. I could count the number of times I’ve heard it on one hand, and I’m determined to hear it more.

“What do you want, Alan?” I ask only after Henry’s finished laughing.

Alan peeks cautiously between his fingers, and once he sees that we’re at least covered, he drops his hand. “Um…apparently it’s time.”

Henry and I share a look, and what was left of our little bubble pops.

“We’ll be right out,” I tell Alan.

He nods and leaves, closing the doors behind him.

Sitting up, I frown at Henry as he does the same, the blanket falling around our waists. “Are you sure you want—”

He grabs me by the back of my neck and pulls me to him, his mouth colliding with mine. I think he’s starting to use shutting me up as an excuse to kiss me, but I’m not about to complain.

The moment our lips separate, I start again.

“Are you sure you—”

Another kiss.

“Are you—”

This time, a growl rolls from his mouth to mine. “Shut up.”

I smirk against his lips as my shoulders shake from laughter. Maybe I’ll just start giving him more reasons to shut me up.

When he pulls back, his expression turns serious, so I resist the urge to open my mouth yet again. “You promised you wouldn’t let me be alone again. I’m going with you. You’re not leaving me behind, little thief.”

How the fuck does he manage to make me feel so weightless and full at the same time?

“Okay,” I tell him before giving him one last kiss.

After we get up, we manage to locate all our clothes and get dressed. Henry tosses me his shirt since I used mine to clean up his cum last night and puts on John’s coat. I don’t exactly like seeing him in another man’s clothes either, but I let him get away with it.

Before we leave, I stop by Marley’s stall and brush my hand down her neck.

“I’ll be back, girl,” I tell her even though I know there’s a chance I might not.

“You’re not bringing her?” Henry asks as he comes to stand behind me.

I shake my head as I pet her a few more times. I know between Lucas and Spencer, she’ll be taken care of here. “No. Just because we’re going back doesn’t mean she has to. I don’t want anything to happen to her. She got me out of there alive. I’m not going to put her in danger again.”

Leaning forward over my shoulder, he gives me a kiss on the cheek. “I think that’s noble of you.”

My face flushes, and I clear my throat as I turn away from my horse. When we exit the stables, Alan’s waiting for us just outside, and we all head in the direction of the bunkhouse. As we pass by it, I give it one last lingering look.

I hope Henry and I can make it out alive again.

We continue off across the field toward the trees where the Merry Men have been camping.

Their clearing isn’t too far in, and the others are already there waiting for us.

John and Tuck are standing at one end of the open space, and Will is at the other talking to a woman with black hair wearing a cloak.

His head is bowed as they speak quietly.

I know he still struggles with his guilt, and I can see it now. Since the Spirit was the one who offered him his chance at redemption, I assume she made it his task to gather us all here.

But I have a more important issue to address first.

Approaching John, I stop in front of him and cross my arms. If I’m going back to Sherwood Forest with my Merry Men, then it’s time to step back into my role as their leader.

So I raise my chin in the air and say, “You’re not going with us.”

John scowls at me. “Excuse me?”

I can feel everyone’s eyes on us. Good. They all need to know that Robin Hood’s returned. At least temporarily.

“You heard me, John. Things could get dangerous back there, and you have a life here . You have a woman you love and who loves you. I’m not going to let you take the chance of throwing that all away.”

His face softens with a faint grin. “I appreciate that, Robin. I do. You’re right. I do love her. But you’re my brother . I hope to God I make it back here alive, but if you think I’m going to let you fuckers go have all the fun without me, then you’ve forgotten who I am.”

“Well, shit,” I mutter with a smirk as my guard drops along with my arms. “How the fuck can I possibly argue with that?”

John’s grin grows as he extends his hand, and I reach out, both of us grabbing onto the other’s forearm.

“You will make it back,” I tell him with as much confidence and determination as I can. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“Right back at you, Robin.”

He gives me a pat on the shoulder as we break apart.

“You’re both planning on coming back here, aren’t you?” Will asks.

I turn toward him to see his shoulders slumped, a deep, heavy frown weighing down his face. I know it’ll hurt to leave him and the others again, but I’ve already made up my mind.

Peering back at Henry, I nod. “The three of us.”

“Oh,” is all he says, the single syllable laced with sadness.

“Where everyone ends up after this is all finished doesn’t have to be decided right now.”

Everyone turns their attention to who could only be the Spirit. She steps into the center of the clearing, flashing Henry a bright, friendly smile. I almost feel jealous, but then I remember she was his friend when he needed one most. So, instead, I feel grateful.

“Wait.” I take a step toward her and tilt my head. “You look familiar.”

She turns her smile on me but says nothing as though waiting for me to figure it out for myself. Eventually, I do.

“It was one of the first times I ended up in the hospital. You were a nurse there.”

“I’ve played many roles.”

Behind me, Henry mutters, “Like a bear that explodes into fucking butterflies.”

The Spirit giggles. She lifts her hand into the air, fingers curled like claws. A second later, her hand shimmers and grows fur as her fingers turn into actual claws, her entire hand transforming into a bear paw.

“Ivy.” Henry says her name like a parent scolding their child.

Her hand returns to normal, and she gives him a sheepish grin. “Sorry.”

I peer at him over my shoulder in awe. “You have the Spirit of Sherwood Forest wrapped around your finger.”

He rolls his eyes and shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“I apologize for deceiving you as well, Robin,” Ivy says, dragging my attention back to her. “I came to check on you and was worried about how sick you were, which is why I had all those tests run because my magic can only do so much. I wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything seriously wrong.”

Maybe I should be upset, but I’m not.

She saved Henry’s life.

“Thank you.”

She smiles again, and I have a feeling she knows my appreciation is for more than her concern for me .

“Well, are we getting out of here or not?” Henry asks, his impatient voice booming through the clearing.

Maybe he really is eager to get this over with, but I think it has more to do with diverting attention away from the fact he cares about Ivy more than he wants to admit.

“I think we have a spoiled prince who needs to be taught a lesson.”

“Right.” Ivy claps her hands together in front of her. “But you all can’t go like this.”

She doesn’t give us a chance to question what she means, throwing her hands back out in a wave over us.

One second, I’m wearing the thick, rough fabric of jeans and the soft cotton of my t-shirt, and the next, it’s the lighter linen of trousers and a tunic and my old, green cloak, the hood draped over my head.

The strap of a quiver hangs from my shoulder, full of arrows and a bow tied to its side.

I look back at Henry to see that his clothes have changed as well. He’s dressed in all black from his trousers to his coat, and a sword hangs from his belt. We’re both wearing the exact same outfits we were during our last day in Sherwood Forest.

Damn, he looks good in all black. Especially with the hint of chest hair peeking out from the deep collar of his tunic.

Our eyes meet, and Henry’s narrow.

“I think I hate you again,” he grumbles, but his eyes sparkle with amusement.

Laughing, I wink at him as memories of what happened the last time he hated me flash in my mind.

“ Now you’re ready. See you on the other side, boys.”

Ivy claps her hands again, and this world fades away.