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“You better not be filling my lady’s head with stories about me,” he warns, and Cassian chuckles in reply.
“If she asks, I will not lie.”
Robin lets out a deep sigh. Placing a finger under her chin, he turns Marian’s face toward him. “Just remember that I love you, and take whatever this scoundrel says with a grain of salt.” He smacks a kiss on her lips before bounding away and jumping onto one of the casks of ale. Letting out a piercing whistle, he waits for everyone to quiet down before raising his bow over his head. “A competition!” he cries. “Who will shoot against me?”
We spend the next hour watching Robin defeat one competitor after another. The sound of cheers and good-natured groans echoes through the night. When no further opposition comes forward, he holds his arms out, spinning slowly. “Are there no others?”
Cassian elbows me. “Go for it,” he says softly, mischief sparkling in his eyes.
“A kiss for luck?”
“The day I turn down such an offer is a day I may as well stop breathing,” he murmurs, dipping his head to give me a brief kiss, one full of promise.
Merlin appears at my side, holding out my bow and quiver. Strapping it over my back I step forward, full of ale-induced confidence and Cassian’s luck. “I, Snow White, Princess of Valderán, hereby challenge Robin of the hood!”
Robin throws his head back and gives a throaty laugh before sweeping his arms out to the side and bowing. “Your Highness, it will be a pleasure to defeat you.” He points his bow at the targets. “Ladies first.”
Shaking my head at the fool, I stalk up to the X marked on the ground. Instead of aiming at the closest one, I go for the farthest. Fixing my gaze on Robin—ignoring the hay bale—I draw the bowstring back and let the arrow fly.Bullseye.
The crowd hurrahs and I step back with a grin. Robin strokes his chin and moves to the mark. He raises his bow, pauses, releases. The people hold their breath, craning their necks. The arrow hits mine, splitting it down the center. The crowd begins to chant his name, but before he can taunt me with his win, I release another arrow, shattering his. Turning on my heel, I rapidly release several more, splintering each of his in all the other targets.
Robin freezes, blinking rapidly before turning toward me. “Where did you—”
Setting the bow on the ground, I rest my hands on the top, my face split in a wide grin. “The Valkyries taught me.”
“Unfair advantage!” Robin calls out, folding his arms over his chest. “I declare Snow White eliminated.”
Some boo while others cheer. Chuckling under my breath, I move over to him and grab his hand, raising it in the air. “A tie!” I call out, and this time, the crowd roars with approval.
“Hmm. A tie, huh? I suppose it will suffice.” He ruffles my hair, then pushes me toward Cassian. “For now, anyway. You won’t be so lucky next time.”
“If you say so,” I toss over my shoulder. “I wouldn’t want to damage your fragile ego by losing to the girl you used to push into the mud.” Cassian bursts into laughter at the aggrieved look on Robin’s face. Cassian hands me my glass while I ignore Robin’s sputtering. I always did want to get him back for ruining my favorite dress.
Chapter 28
Cassian
“Comeon,youtwo.Rest day is over,” I say to the horses as I lead them out of the stables. We spent yesterday resting, but time is of the essence, and we need to keep moving.
Robin and most of his gang of merry men have opted to join us in the coming war. A few will stay behind in the village with the women, children, and elderly. Merlin agreed to stock one of the huts with food and water for them. The village is far enough away from the capital that they should be free from any interference from the queen, or from any fight that occurs.
Nodding hello to a couple of passing farmers, I turn the corner, casting my gaze over the square, looking for Snow. Time seems to slow, each second a heartbeat.
An elderly woman, frail and shaky, trips over her feet. She drops to the ground, crying out in dismay as the basket of apples she was holding spills across the cobblestones.
Tick.
Snow leans over, her brows drawing together with worry as she helps the woman up.
Tick.
After the apples have been gathered back into the basket, the woman smiles up at Snow. Her trembling hand offers up one of the apples, and Snow White accepts it, her eyes lighting at the treat.
Tick.
Dark gray clouds slide in front of the sun, casting shadows over the square.
Tick.
