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Will drew one of his swords and pointed it at the men. “Pa says you’re taking advantage of him, Michael. What have you to say about that?”
The man pulled down his mask and raised his hands. “Lies, Will Younger. He accuses us fortnightly, yet always calls us back to work his hives!”
“We’re the two best in Ravenshead,” his brother said, advancing on Will.
Will drew his other sword. “Not a step closer, Paul. I have one for each of you. Why would my father make up lies?”
“Because he’s mad, boy. Why else? He’s losing his mind. Everyone in the village knows it.”
Alan and I watched with worried glances. Knowing Will Scarlet, this could get out of hand in a hurry.
I saw Alan’s hand inch toward his hip, where he kept a small sword. He slid the bow from his shoulder and handed it to me, along with two arrows.
Two arrows for three men. Clearly not enough, if Will got rowdy.
We stood in a patch of tall grass around the side of the cabin. The tension was as thick as the sweet smell on the air.
“Everyone knows it,” Will echoed, “so they take advantage of his beleaguered state, do they?”
In that moment, I saw Will Scarlet as more of an enforcer than a son. He wanted to do right by his elderly, ailing father, yet he couldn’t contain himself.
This was why Little John had told Alan to join us. Not because he was worried what Will might do to me, but because he knew what Will might do to others.
William Elder stepped out the side door of his cabin. He thrust a shaky finger at the workers. “Thieves! Pinchers! Get off my land, curs, or I’ll set my knight-errant on you!”
“Knight-errant?” Michael scoffed. He threw down his gloves. “Rich, calling us thieves. Coming from a Merry Man.”
Will took a step toward him. “Say it again.”
Paul pulled his brother’s arm, trying to keep him back. “It’s not worth it, Michael. Let’s just go.”
I didn’t know who to believe, and it wasn’t my place to speculate.
Then Alan hummed.
I quirked my brow and saw him looking at the ground through the grass. “What is it?”
He bent down, disappearing near the lower slats of William Elder’s house. He lifted something that had been tucked away in the grass. When he stood, he clicked his tongue, shaking a small clay jug. Taking the lid off, he inhaled loudly. “Smells sweet.”
My eyes widened.
Will and the twins turned to us.
“Fuck,” Michael said.
Will gave them a sinister grin that chilled me to the bone. “Funny place to be finding a pot of honey, isn’t it, Alan-a-Dale?”
“Sure is, Will Scarlet.”
My heart raced. I saw disaster flashing before my eyes—so I rushed forward, even as Will did the same to the twins with his swords drawn.
“Wait!” I yelled. Over my shoulder, other citizens of Ravenshead watched the goings-on, muttering to each other.
This was a bad look.
Will pulled his arm back to thrust at one of the men.
I looped my arm in his, holding him back. “Hold, Will! Please.”
