Free Shadows of Sherwood by Kekla Magoon Page B

stood almost as tall as she was. “What should we do about his stuff?”
    â€œWe have to keep it,” Robyn said. “I promised.” The look she had exchanged with Bridger meant something. But who knew if they could ever find him again? Or how long it might take? “Do you think Bridger is part of the rebellion?” she said.
    Robyn felt a strange tug deep in her gut, a strong desire to find Bridger, as if following him could actually lead her home. She remembered the woman, Nyna Campbell, and the words she had shouted out.
Breath, blood, bone.
The same words etched on Dad’s hologram sphere.
    â€œEarlier, you said we would disappear if we didn’t escape,” Robyn said. “Where did you think we would disappear to?”
    â€œRumor is, there are many jails and facilities around the city. Different security levels. Sherwood Jail is a temporary holding cell. Low security.” She grinned. “Obviously.”
    â€œSo, they must be taking Nyna Campbell to one of these places.” To be disappeared, perhaps. Disappeared, like Robyn’s parents? The tugging feeling grew deeper—the sense these things must all be connected. Were her parents a part of this new rebellion?
    Laurel shrugged. “Possibly.”
    The afternoon light was waning quickly. Robyn worried about what might happen when the sun went down. “It’s getting late. We should get . . .” the word that came to mind again was
home
. Suddenly the crowds and the MPs and even jail seemed less scary than the great unknown.
    â€œWhere can we go? Where do you live?” she asked Laurel, although it seemed like the girl might be homeless.
    â€œOh, there’s tons of places to sleep when the weather is nice,” Laurel said.
    â€œWe can’t stay in Sherwood,” Robyn said.
    â€œThere’s nowhere else to go,” Laurel said.
    â€œWe’re wanted in Sherwood. Maybe our best bet is to go back to Castle District. Maybe”—she put all of her hope into her voice—“my parents have returned, and they can help us. Maybe it’s all a misunderstanding.” Laurel looked skeptical, but Robyn couldn’t think what else to do, except try to get home.
    â€œGo through the woods?” Laurel asked. “Are you serious? You know they’re patrolling all the paths, right?”
    â€œI’m going home,” Robyn said, in a burst of desperation. “You can come, or not.” Robyn liked having Laurel with her. She didn’t want to make the long journey alone again. Sheadded, “Either my parents will be back and everything will be fine, or . . . or the house will be empty. There’s food and clothes and beds and everything. We can just stay there.”
    Laurel’s eyes brightened over Robyn’s offer, but she chewed her lip. “The woods are too dangerous.”
    A pair of MPs strolled past the mouth of the alley. The girls froze, hoping to go unnoticed. As they passed, Robyn said, “It’s looking pretty dangerous here, too.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
    Hope
    Nyna Campbell dragged herself to a sitting position on the bandstand. “Why don’t you just kill me now?” the prisoner managed to say. Her teeth stayed clenched in pain.
    Sheriff Mallet smiled. A smile so slick it almost passed for friendly. “I’m not going to kill you, Nyna.”
    The prisoner shivered at the sound of her name on the enemy’s lips. “I don’t believe you.”
    â€œDeath is quick. And finite,” Mallet said. “After all you’ve done, how can I let you go so easily?”
    The prisoner’s eyes narrowed. Each breath, a valiant struggle. She radiated a despicable sort of courage. Defiant, in and through her suffering.
How noble.
    â€œYou’re going to live, Nyna,” Mallet promised. “And every few months we’ll bring you out and show you to people. They’ll never move on. They’ll never