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"They're to be transferred into my custody under the King's commission. Have your men lower the tailgates."

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Sedding looked at the document.

His hand shifted toward the strap of his gauntlet, and two soldiers began turning their horses as though preparing to obey.

Then a young man near the rear spoke.

"Sir, that's the traitor!"

Every head turned.

"There's a proclamation against him!"

Sedding's expression changed.

He looked back at me.

"Sheriff, you're under arrest for treason."

"I know."

"Then you know I can't obey that order."

"You can choose not to deliver eleven innocent people to a trial that's already been decided."

His jaw tightened.

"I have my orders."

"Then consider who's giving them."

I stepped closer.

"That proclamation wasn't issued by the King, Ralf. It came from Edmund Fitzwalter, a man who's filled Nottingham Castle with his own soldiers and seized control of the sheriff's office."

Sedding said nothing.

"You've served the Crown for twenty-two years. Surely you can recognize when a nobleman is using royal authority for his own purposes."

He looked toward the prisoners.

Then back at me.

"I have a wife," he said quietly.

"So does Hugh Reyner. And he's being followed through his own castle by Fitzwalter's men because he dared to copy a document."

I could see that Sedding understood.

But he had twelve soldiers watching him.

He couldn't simply hand over the prisoners without giving them some explanation for his actions.

"Ralf," I said. "Look up."

He raised his head.