THE TRAITOR OF SHERWOOD FOREST

They say the Lord of the Greenwood is a thief of coin, and of hearts. He only wants what another man has.

Jane Crowe is used to being overlooked. A simple girl, with a simple life, she spends her days selling conserves at market and trying to keep her family afloat. It's not much, but then again, Jane doesn't expect much, and she's content to take her pleasure where she can: namely, with her lover Bran, who is humble, kind, and most importantly, safe. At least, she thought so. Until Bran reveals himself to be one of the outlaws who reports to Robin Hood, the infamous Lord of the Greenwood. At Robin's request, Bran brings Jane into the forest to meet him, and while no one else has ever seen Jane for much of, well, anything, Robin sees her quiet, unassuming nature for all its potential. He needs a spy in the King's Houses, and with her about to be forced out of her home, Jane needs a job.

At first, her work for Robin seems straightforward enough: observe and report on the various nobles who make their way through the King's Houses, including the new Sheriff and Prioress Ibota, both of whom would like to see Robin Hood's head on a spike. But the more she's drawn into Robin's world, the more she's drawn to Robin himself: a man as charismatic as he is cunning, capable of plucking at her heart as easily as he notches an arrow. Bran may be familiar, yes, but Robin understands her.

And yet, as his schemes get increasingly complex, and shockingly violent, Jane starts to suspect that Robin's good deeds have a darker edge, that he may care more about cementing his own legacy than he cares about the common people. And that, despite his declarations of affection, she might be just another game to him. Just an object to be stolen. When Jane is caught spying and forced to serve as a double agent for the Sheriff and Prioress Ibota, she must decide: is she a prize to be won, a pawn to be used and discarded, or is she an equal player in the game between nobles and thieves?

Amy S. Kaufman has a Ph.D. in medieval literature and writes about medieval history, myths, and legends. She currently resides in Vancouver, Canada. A medieval studies scholar, the author draws from her expertise to craft a powerful novel that honors the original ballads while being totally fresh.