Page 112 of Far From Sherwood Forest

She nods. “Of course.”

There’s a spark of hope in her eyes that manages to reach me.

“I’ll go with them,” John says as he kneels beside me to take my place, taking over applying pressure to Will’s injury. He peers between me and Robin and then over to Alan and Tuck who are watching us, their brows creased with worry and their eyes wet. “Robin has some goodbyes to make.”

I nod as I realize what he means and sit back on my heels before turning to Ivy once more.

“I’ll come right back for you. I promise.”

I realize whatshemeans too, and this time, I trust her.

“It’ll feel like just a minute,” she says as she glances at Robin. “I’ll make sure he gets help.”

“Thank you.” His words are a whisper because I don’t think he’s capable of anything stronger right now. He peers back down at his cousin. “Hang in there, Will.”

A moment later, Ivy, John, and Will are gone with a puff of displaced air that blows through my hair. Gasps and whispers float through the hall in their absence. The only ones who don’t appear shocked are Alan and Tuck and…strangely enough, the king.

Robin drops his head, and his shoulders jerk with a silent sob. I slide across the floor toward him, avoiding the blood that Will left behind. Placing my hand on the side of his neck like I usually do, I bow my head close to his so only he can hear.

“He’ll be okay, Robin.”

I say it because Iwantto believe it. Because I don’t wantRobin to lose him.

He lifts his face, his eyes meeting mine as he sniffs back more tears. “Thank you.”

“I told you we’re done hurting each other. That means I’ll do everything in my power to stop anything else from hurting you too.”

A tear slips free and glides down the tracks left from the others on his cheek. “I should’ve gone with him.”

“Ivy will be back for us.” I look over at Alan and Tuck. “And I think John was right.”

Robin follows my gaze, his frown deepening as he stands to his feet. I follow as the other two approach us.

“I take it you two aren’t coming?” Robin asks, his voice still raw, choked with even more emotion.

“We all talked about it, and Tuck and I have decided to stay,” Alan says. “We still have people in the forest. If things are finally going to change around here, then we want to help them and the others in Nottingham. Will was undecided, but it looks like his decision might have been made for him. I think deep down he wanted to follow you wherever you ended up anyway.”

A faint, sad smile crosses Robin’s face.

King Richard takes a step forward, looking at Alan and Tuck. “After what you’ve all done in the service of Nottingham, you two are always welcome a place in my court.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Robin says with a bow of his head.

“Thankyou, Robin of Locksley. I have a feeling none of this would’ve been possible if it weren’t for you. I’d probably be dead on the road right now.”

Robin peers back at me with a small grin. “The Sheriff is to thank more than I am.”

“Then thank you as well, Sheriff.”

I bow my head, but it’s mostly to hide a grin of my own. IfRichard had been around the last couple of years in Nottingham, he’d know how ironic that truly is.

Robin turns to the king once more, his grin gone. “I’m sorry about Marian.”

“As am I.” His face falls, his gaze full of grief. “You two would have made a lovely pair.”

I look away and try really fucking hard not to roll my eyes. I should probably feel bad because…yes, Marian is dead. I shouldn’t let what the king said bother me.

But Robin Hood ismine.