Daughter of Sherwood (Robin Hood and Her Merciless Men Book 1) by KC Kingmaker

Author:KC Kingmaker [Kingmaker, KC]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KC Kingmaker
Published: 2024-02-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 30

Robin

Icould hear the gentle rhythm of Little John’s heart against my cheek. I was enfolded in his arms, his claim on me still strong even though night had passed and a gray morning cut into my red-rimmed eyes.

We had both been out all night.

I felt relaxed. At peace. When I moved, I grimaced from an achy, sore body.

For some reason, I recalled Maid Marian’s words from the river, when she told me about the control I had over these men. When she explained the things I would need to show to have “staying power.”

Looking up into John’s bearded face, I felt I had exhibited those things with aplomb. I smiled up at him and ran a gentle knuckle over his grizzled cheek.

His eyes fluttered open.

And Marian’s other words came crashing down around me: “Don’t steal the Merry Men from me.”

My smile faltered into a frown.

“What’s wrong, little star?” John asked, voice gravelly. “Regretting your choice already?”

I tried to twist the frown into a smile. “Of course not. I feel like a whole new person.”

“Is this new person someone you like?”

My brow stitched together. “I’m . . . not sure yet.”

He let out a hum and started to move his big body, which in turn moved me. He rose and lifted me with him, and then took me to the pond in front of us.

We sank to our knees and he began to wash the night—and himself—off my body. I closed my eyes and gave in to the chill of the water, waking me from my dazed sleep much quicker than I would have liked. My smile returned in earnest, my back to Little John, and he cared for me in that moment more than I thought possible from the big brute.

I wasn’t sure if he’d broken me. Or if this new Robin was someone I liked. In fact, I wasn’t sure of anything. Confusion rippled through me.

Robert’s voice clawed at me. “You’ve made a mistake, sister. You’ve undone yourself, opening yourself to pain and disappointment.”

I believed him. In that moment, with John’s rough hands caring for me, bathing me, showing me a side of him I hadn’t known, I believed my brother.

Because I knew this couldn’t last. The dreamlike morning was a fantasy. Once my logical mind returned, I saw this for what it was: a farce.

I’d fallen hard and quick. Little John and I had escaped into each other’s warmth to avoid the dastardly things we’d done. The horrors we had to live with.

I remembered he had killed a man not ten minutes before coming to me. Before claiming me, he had gutted Peter Fisher before my eyes. The squire’s blood still stained the backs of my thighs where John had held me aloft. Or was that my blood, from severing my maidenhood?

I was quiet as we bathed. We both were—lost in our thoughts. I wondered if his thoughts were cheerier; if he finally thought he had snagged me and found someone he could entrust and care for like he had with Imogen.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.