Cursed by Bandits (Once Upon A Curse)

18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

T he crunching of leaves underneath my feet was one of my favorite sounds, add the sound of a puppy scampering as we walked, and nothing could be more perfect. The joy I felt this morning gave me hope that my plan was actually going to work. Jane was beside me with our notes from last night. We hadn’t slept much, but it was worth it to be able to present an actual course of action to Tuck and the others.

Jane looked around. “This is where we agreed to meet.”

I wasn’t sure how she could tell one flat piece of ground surrounded by trees from another, but it was one of her many talents. Jane and I stopped, sitting on a fallen tree that cut through the middle of the open space. Rogue sniffed around the perimeter, stopping at every single tree.

It wasn’t long before Tuck, Will, and Erin joined us, each walking through the trees from a different direction. Rogue went up to each of them and determined that they weren’t a threat to me once she had sniffed everyone.

I looked around, wondering why Milo wasn’t here yet. Was he coming? Surely Jane included him on the invite. Why wasn’t he here yet?

Tuck raised an eyebrow. “Why did you drag us all out of our bed this morning, Rowan? Are you going to enlighten us?”

I nodded. “I’m not sure if you’ve heard yet, but my uncle has decided to have a tournament where the prize is . . . well, me. Jane and I have devised a plan. I’m going to enter disguised as a male competitor. The goal is to win so I can get the prize money for the town and, of course, my hand in marriage.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the idea of marrying myself.

Will crossed his arms, skepticism clear on his face. “How do you plan to pull that off?”

“Disguise and preparation,” Jane interjected, unfurling the notes she held. “Rowan was one of the best fighters among us at the nunnery. I was the only one she couldn’t beat. And if there’s an archery contest, she’s got that in the bag. No one is better than her. We just need to make sure no one recognizes her.”

Erin nodded, though her expression was cautious. “Do you know any of the other competitors?”

“Not yet. We’re working on gathering that information,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “But we’ll need everyone’s help. We need to know their strengths, weaknesses, and strategies.”

Tuck seemed to consider this, his gaze thoughtful. “It’s a bold move. I worry what will happen if your uncle discovers what you’re up to. He’s not a very nice man.”

Just then, the sound of rustling leaves caught our attention, causing all of us to hold our collective breath, concerned about getting caught before we made it past the planning stages. Milo emerged from the trees, his hair damp after running from the keep. All of us released the breath we were holding when we saw him— Well, everyone but me; mine caught as he ran his fingers through his hair, sending his curls every which way. Rogue ran up to him, her hackles raised at first, but as soon as he got down on her level, letting her sniff him until she was satisfied, she calmed down. In fact, she decided to roll on her back and let him scratch her belly instead of coming back to me .

“Sorry I’m late. What did I miss?” One side of his mouth quirked up in a lopsided smile as he continued to pet my dog.

Jane shot me a knowing look. “Just the beginning of our plan. We’re glad you could make it, Milo.”

“Where were you?” I asked.

He grinned, his eyes sparkling with interest. “I lost track of time in my lab working on something. But I’m here now and wouldn’t miss it for the world. What’s the plan?” He came over to stand next to me. He was so close I could feel his body heat emanating from him. Every part of me that was close to him tingled. His fingers brushed against mine . . . Once . . . Twice . . . They started to do it a third time, but instead, he intertwined our fingers and held my hand. He didn’t let go until he was caught up on the plan.

His eyes captured mine. “It’s a good plan. Risky, but worth trying.”

“I hope it’s more than worth trying. We have to succeed. I have to succeed. Everyone is counting on me,” I whispered so only Milo could hear me.

My eyes looked down at our interlocked fingers. Milo squeezed my hand gently before taking his free hand and tilting my chin until our gazes met, his unwavering. “You will succeed, Rowan. We’ll be here for you to lean on as you prepare and compete. Remember, you are not alone in this.”

I nodded, his words and the feel of his hand entangled with mine bolstered my confidence in ways the others couldn’t. Only Jane was capable of reassuring me as much as Milo was doing now, but in a completely different way.

In that moment, the rest of the world drifted away, and it was just me and Milo together against all the uncertainty of the tournament, and beyond that seemed so distant it didn’t matter right this second. My eyes fluttered shut as Milo lowered his head towards mine. This kiss was happening. This was it. I was going to find out what it was like to feel his lips against mine.

Tuck cleared his throat, bringing me back to the present and the fact that we were in Sherewood Forest surrounded by others. It didn’t stop me from glaring at the friar. He just shrugged and turned back to those gathered around.

He clapped his hands together. “It’s time to start our preparations. We only have a fortnight. It may seem like a lot of time, but the other competitors will start arriving soon so they can settle and practice here beforehand.”

Each of our roles assigned, we all sprang into action, eager to get started on the tasks that had been laid out. Jane, Erin, and I would perfect my masculine disguise all the way down to how I moved. Jane and I would practice my combat skills, focusing on my ability to overcome those taller than me, something I struggled with whenever I fought Jane. Tuck and Will would gather information about the other competitors. Milo, with his analytical mind, would help formulate a plan for the fights and potentially create better equipment for the other events.

The day dragged on as we executed the beginning steps of the plan. Jane and Erin fussed over my appearance, yanking my hair this way and that with an excessive amount of enthusiasm.

“Are you interviewing for a job as a local interrogator?” I winced as Jane and Erin pulled my hair in opposite directions. “I’ll make sure to give my recommendation.”

Next, the two attacked me with kohl, darkening my eyebrows until I looked like a startled owl. They scribbled notes on scraps of parchment about what tortures they had in store for me over the next couple of weeks.

“You need to think about how you move. It needs to be much more like a man. From your stance, to your walk, everything.” Erin demonstrated, but she looked more like a strutting rooster than an actual human.

I tried my hand at walking like a man. I imagined the way that Milo moved and attempted to mimic the movement that was burnt into my memory. Instead of copying the fluid movement, I felt stiff and ungainly. I tried to smooth out the motion, but tripped over a rock, stumbled, and flailed my arms until I felt like I was going to stay on my foot. Then my toe came into contact with my heel and I was flying through the air. I landed face-first in the dirt.

I sighed and pushed myself up and sat there with a grimace. Milo ran over to where I had taken up residence on the ground.

“Are you okay?” He knelt in front of me. He ran his hands over my arms and his eyes over my legs.

When he was satisfied I was still in one piece, he stood, grabbed me by the arms, and pulled me up. I crashed into his body. My eyes locked on his, and for a moment, I lost where I was and what I should be doing.

“I’m fine. Embarrassed. But in one piece.” Brushing the dirt off me, I looked over at Jane, waiting for her to say something.

“Now that you’ve learned how not to walk, let’s try again.” Jane bit her lip in her attempt not to laugh at me. “Right now, when you walk, it brings attention to the curve of your hips. You sway way too much,” she instructed.

Milo went back to the edge of the clearing to watch the shenanigans; at least I assumed it looked like shenanigans despite how serious our endeavors actually were. He offered tips and encouragement. “You have to be confident in yourself and your disguise: if you believe, everyone else will.”

Eventually, we stopped for the day, and Milo was there beside me. He tapped my shoulder with his and leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear. “This is going to work. I believe in you.”

“Thank you,” I whispered back, determination surging through me. “It has to work. I can’t let the town down.”

He smiled, his eyes full of trust and something more, something that made my heart race. “I know you won’t.”

As we stopped for the day, I looked around at my friends and felt a sense of purpose. Even though the path I had chosen was fraught with danger, I knew we could face whatever challenges came our way. First the tournament and then, together, we would reclaim Lockersley and restore it to its former glory.