Threatened with the loss of his position, the Sheriff pulls out all stops to find Robin. He captures most of the band in Wickham and hunts down the rest with hounds. Finally, Robin, Marion and Much are alone on a hill, facing an army.

Before his death, Loxley gave Albion to Marion. She kept it safe for a year at the home of her father, who begged her to have no more to do with the outlaws. She attempts to give it to Robert, but he still says no one could take Loxley's place. When the band tries to stop a torturer en route to Nottingham, Robert is wounded by a poisoned arrow and falls gravely ill. After returning home from going to aid Robert, Marion and Albion are taken by the Sheriff. Although Gisburne is sure Robert of Huntingdon is the new Robin Hood, no one will believe him. Robert is able to masquerade as a shallow, young nobleman and make friends with the Sheriff as part of a scheme to free Marion. After the true powers of Albion are revealed, Robert, whom everyone now calls Robin, knows he is truly Herne's son.

Robert de Rainault, high Sheriff of Nottingham, failing one time too many to end the activities of Robin Hood, is dismissed by the king and replaced by Philip Mark, "The Butcher of Lincoln". Mark captures six villagers from Wickham and sends out word that Robin Hood must turn himself in or the captives will die the next noon, and six more the day after that until Robin is captured. Nasir must face the new Sheriff's servant, Sarak, a masked assassin out of the Saracen's past.

The Sheriff's young nephew, Martin, is kidnapped by Adam Bell, an ageing outlaw who was the Robin Hood of his day, but now robs only for himself. The Sheriff, using his hostage, Much, as a bargaining chip, persuades Robin to rescue the boy from Bell.