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Much coughed and gasped as the abbot’s dagger sank into his side, to the hilt.
“NO!” I screamed, and rushed forward.
The abbot’s eyes bulged, shocked that someone had stepped between him and his target—someone he hadn’t seen running in from the door.
Without thinking, I lunged at the abbot and shoved with all my strength—
He staggered back, flatfooted, tripping at the windowsill of the open aperture. His arms pinwheeled as he tried to gain his balance, face twisted in fear as he locked eyes with me.
I stepped forward and angrily stabbed him.
Abbot Emery upended and screamed as he went out the window, headfirst.
A heavy thud followed his descent.
I glanced out the window and saw his body splayed out at the base of the abbey, neck bent at an unnatural angle.
Much collapsed. Maria was right beside him, catching his fall and laying his head on her lap. “Oh, Nicholas!”
My eyes darted to the table—empty—and caught a blur—
Baron Mansfield escaping past the open door during our distraction. Disappearing from sight.
I took one step toward the door—
Crack!
A sharp whiplash-snap of wood and bone reverberated against the walls.
I swung around the door, sliding to a stop in the hall as my breath hitched.
Little John stood at the top of the stairs, arms raised, and there was his quarterstaff, wielded in both hands.
Baron Easton of Mansfield was unconscious at his feet. Maybe dead from how hard John had cracked him over the skull. His sack of stolen goods had dropped next to his prone body.
John and I locked eyes.
Tears burned mine.
“It’s Much,” I croaked.
He rushed to me and we entered the room together.
Much the Miller’s Son was strewn out on the floor, crumpled in Maria’s lap.
“Y-You saved me, Much,” she stammered, tears streaming down her face as she ran a hand through his sweaty hair.
“It’s w-what lovers do, aye?” the boy eked out, smiling up at her. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and that’s how I knew his wound was bad. Internal. It pooled underneath him, too.
I put both hands on my head, overwhelmed and dismayed by emotion. My chin trembled as I stared down at the two of them.
Bodies came rushing into the room.
“Out of the way!” growled one of them.
Friar Tuck pushed his way through and knelt at the couple.
“Fuck,” the friar growled, putting his hands on Much and the blood pumping out of him. I’d never heard him so distraught. “Stay with us, lad!”
