Forest Kingdom Trilogy 3 - Down Among the Dead Men

it had. For all the death and spilled blood, this was just another border fort now, and that was all it would ever be. MacNeil finally led the others through the entrance hall and out into the courtyard. The storm had passed over during the early hours of the morning, and the rain was long gone. There were no clouds in the sky, and the warm sunlight had dried off most of the stonework. Scarecrow Jack was standing by the open main gates, staring out at the Forest. He looked around as the Rangers approached, and nodded politely.
    “You’re looking better, Sergeant MacNeil. Is there anything I can do for you before I go?”
    “I don’t think so,” said MacNeil easily. Despite Jack’s relaxed appearance, he was clearly ready to turn and run for the trees at the first sign of any attempt to arrest him. Old habits die hard. MacNeil smiled warmly at Jack to reassure him. “In fact, as far as my official report is concerned, you were never here. But do me a favor: try to stay out of trouble until we’ve left the area. I’d hate to be ordered to hunt you down.”
    Jack grinned at him. “What makes you think you could find me?”
    They all laughed. Jack turned away and looked at the Forest.
    “You don’t have to go,” said Constance suddenly. “After all your help, after all you’ve done, I’m sure we could get you a pardon. You could return to your home, to your family; make a new life for yourself.”
    “The Forest is my home and my family,” said Scarecrow Jack. “I wouldn’t leave it for a dozen pardons. Thanks anyway, Constance. Goodbye, my friends.”
    He grinned quicldy at them, and then ran through the gates and out into the clearing. For a while his running figure was outlined against the bright sunshine, and then he reached the trees. His camouflage of rags blended into the Forest, and he was gone.
    “I have a strong feeling we should have gone down into the tunnels and counted those bags of gold before we let him go,” said Flint.
    MacNeil smiled and shook his head. “I wouldn’t have begrudged him a bag or two, but I doubt he took a single gold coin with him. What use is gold in the Forest? Come on, we ought to clean up some of the mess before the reinforcements get here. And we’ve still got to agree on what story we’re going to tell them.”
    “Right,” said the Dancer. “They’d never believe the truth. I was here, and I don’t believe half of it.”
    The four Rangers laughed together and went back into the fort. The sun shone down through a cloudless sky, and the fort stood clean and open beneath it.