Page 92

I released her wrists. "And I bit him back. I know that's not customary, but I wanted him marked as surely as I was. I'm not interested in a bond where an Alpha gets to claim his Omega and she has no say in the matter."

I looked around at the others. "Now, if anybody else has questions about my mating, I'm standing right here."

Nobody said anything. At least, not while I was listening. But news traveled quickly through Sherwood, and by supper, I noticed several people avoiding my eyes. I knew what they were thinking.

Their leader had gone missing for eleven days and returned mated to the very man who'd spent three years trying to put them in chains.

I couldn't exactly blame them for being concerned.

The six of us gathered after dark inside Little John's lean-to. He'd pulled the flap shut, giving us some privacy from the rest of the camp.

"He led raids against us," Little John began. "Personally. He came through Blyth with forty men in the spring. We lost Hob's barn and two weeks' worth of grain."

"I remember. I was there."

"He's arrested our people."

"Nine of them, that I know of, over three years."

"And now we're supposed to trust him?"

"No."

I placed my hands flat on the crate between us. "You're supposed to trust me."

Merry shook her head. "Robin, love makes people foolish."

"Then it's fortunate I've spent six years being smarter than most of this county."

"That's not an answer."

"Fine. Here's one." I looked around at them. "I'm not asking anybody here to like Guy. I'm certainly not asking you to forget what he's done over the last three years. He led those raids. He made those arrests. I know because I was there for most of them."

Little John folded his arms.

"But there's something else you need to know. Guy rode into Sherwood alone, in the middle of the night, to warn me that Fitzwalter had sent men to kill me. He took a knife meant for my ribs. Then he stood in front of forty of his own soldiers and let them believe he'd disgraced himself rather than tell them where I was."

Nobody interrupted.

"He's also found proof that my father was framed. Right now, he's carrying that evidence into a castle full of Fitzwalter's informants. If they catch him, he'll hang right beside me."

The lamp flickered.

"And he released Aldous the cooper four days ago," I added. "Signed the order himself and had it entered into the castle daybook, where Fitzwalter can find it whenever he likes."

Little John raised his head. "He released Aldous?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm telling you now. Send someone to Papplewick tomorrow. Ask Aldous whose name was on the order."

That finally seemed to get their attention. Guy could promise me anything he wanted in the privacy of a forest cabin. Releasing one of our people under his own seal was another matter entirely. There was a written record of what he'd done, and Fitzwalter could use it against him.

"Trust has to be earned," I told them. "Guy knows that. He'll either prove himself to you or he won't. You're welcome to keep your knives close until you're satisfied."

I looked directly at Little John.