Lady Thief: A Scarlet Novel by A.C. Gaughen Page A

“He’s getting better.”
    “He’s not really,” said Much. “But I’m trying to figure some sort of arm band to make his aim better.”
    “Why won’t you just stand in for him?” John asked. “You’ll be in a coat and scarf and such anyway. We could make you pass. Dammit, Rob, it’s the simplest plan.”
    “No, it isn’t,” Rob said quiet. “We all know what’s happening to me and I can’t be counted on for much. Besides, if they catch me, he’s disqualified entirely. And I’ll be killed.”
    I threaded his fingers through mine and squeezed. It weren’t like I would ever let that pass.
    “I’ll see what I can pick up about the others,” I said.
    “Gisbourne’s a good shot,” John said. “We know that.”
    I nodded. “I think that’s why Prince John chose this. Gisbourne claims it were promised to him, and I think the prince is just making a show and giving it to Gisbourne anyway.”
    “All we’ve got is Thoresby,” John said with a sigh. “I don’t think it will be enough.”
    Gripping Rob tight, I stepped forward. “It has to be enough. Our people have gone through hell and more under the last sheriff. If Gisbourne is sheriff we won’t never be free.”
    “
We’ve
gone through hell,” John growled. “And we have nothing to show for it. I’m beyond weary of all of this.”
    “We’re close, John,” I told him. “Things will be different with Thoresby.”
    “Things are never different,” he said, and stared at the fire.
    “You lot go to sleep,” Rob said. “Scar, are you going back tonight?”
    My pipes ran thick, and I swallowed. I had to, didn’t I? “Yes,” I said soft.
    “I’ll walk you back.”
    He let go of my hand for a moment to pull on a cape and boots, and even that small bit of him I wanted back. It returned swift, and his fingers pressed into mine, gloveless and warm.
    He tugged a slight bit and I followed him.
    “Bye, Scar,” Much said.
    “I’ll be up at the castle for the tournament tomorrow, Scar,” John said. “I’ll look in on you.”
    I wanted to snap that I weren’t a baby or some small thing that needed looking after, but it weren’t the truth. I missed theband. I missed feeling safe and looked after. I nodded at John and left, tucking Rob’s arm closer to me.
    We stepped into the cold dark and it felt sweeter with him beside me, like instead of dying the world had made space for the two of us. Going to the yard I took the reins of the horse, pulling him along with us as we walked.
    “What happened tonight, Scarlet?” Rob asked me.
    I turned my face into his shoulder against the thought. “Not worth thinking on, Rob. Are you still not sleeping?”
    “I’ve slept a little,” he said. “Never for very long at a time. The monks said that might help.”
    “And it has?”
    He nodded. “The nightmares start and I wake up. I don’t slip into them.”
    “But they’re still there.”
    “They’ve always been there, Scar. I cheated them for as long as I could.”
    “I had nightmares when I were younger, when my sister died. They went away after a time.”
After I met you
, I knew with a start. I hadn’t put that together before. And now he had nightmares, and I couldn’t put a balm on his mind the way he had mine.
    His arms rubbed along me, warming me like fire. “I’m trying for you, Scar. I’m trying to find a way out of them.” His voice were whisper soft and the night ate it up. “I keep thinking about that night, when I hurt you. How much worse it could have been. And if we ever—I mean, in the chance thatwe ever have a family—” His voice stopped, and he were swallowing, over and over, like whatever were stuck wouldn’t go down.
    Family
. That meant children, didn’t it? Babies. It made shivers and gooseflesh run over my body. For so long I had never thought I were meant for that, but
Rob
… I could see our family clear as water. Strong sons with Rob’s eyes and moppy little girls with my sister’s gold hair. Rob