Page 156

Then he dropped another stack. I had to admit, the man was a remarkably convincing fool.

The entire escort came to a halt.

A moment later, shouting rose from the courtyard.

Someone had spotted the smoke.

Boots pounded across the stones as soldiers hurried toward the stables.

I waited until I heard the guards moving away from the inner yard.

Then I descended the gallery staircase.

"Captain Aldric."

He turned.

The color drained from his face.

"Sheriff."

"Captain."

"You're a wanted man."

"So I'm told."

He looked past me toward the staircase.

"Lord Fitzwalter ordered this prisoner delivered to the yard."

"And I'm ordering you to step aside."

"You don't have that authority anymore."

I drew the sword I'd taken from a soldier at Locksley. "Then we'll have to settle this another way."

To my surprise, Aldric attacked. Unfortunately, my injured side made defending myself considerably more difficult than it should've been. I turned aside his first strike, but when I tried to move forward, pain caught beneath my ribs.

I was too slow to avoid the second.

His blade cut across my forearm.

I stepped back.

There was no point pretending I could fight as though I weren't injured.

So I changed tactics.

When Aldric came at me again, I caught his wrist with my left hand.

Pain shot through my side, but I held on long enough to drive my shoulder into his chest.

He lost his balance.

I forced him backward and brought him down hard onto the stone floor.

The serjeant moved toward me. Robin fired from the gallery.