Chapter Fifteen: The Rowan Tree
(Mid Chapter)
Reilly knew how frustrating it was to get tidbits of
information … to see only scattered puzzle pieces … to have more questions than
answers. He knew what it was like to wonder where someone he loved had gone,
and if he would ever see that person again. He also knew that life’s
uncertainties often came in large doses—and that the only antidote seemed to be
love.
The trouble was, the more Reilly thought about how much he
loved Norah, the more he thought he might never be able to tell her.
Determining if that thought came from his head or his heart, or somewhere in
between, seemed more perplexing to him than the fact that he was trapped back
in time, walking further into the East Forest of Wicklow, Ireland. For now, he was simply grateful that the
berries allowed him to dwell on thoughts of Norah without any pain.
When they arrived at the lift to the McKinleys’ tree home,
Reilly noticed something was different.
“You’re right, Reilly! Look at this.” Lottie knelt down and
picked up a small chunk of fallen wood. “I’ve never seen one this big before.
Not even when Sorcha was in trouble … before she was taken.”
They reached the top and greeted Katell.
“Stalwart 59,” Lottie said.
The bird struck his beak on the door in the usual staccato
pattern, and it swung open. Reilly stopped and looked back at the bird. “Did
you detect any danger near this tree home since the last Crumble?” The bird
blinked only once and twisted his head sideways, and then toward the ground.
“Katell?” Lottie asked. The bird flinched and ruffled his
feathers. “Did you see anything?”
Katell blinked twice and shook his head.
“Thank you,” Lottie said, as she stepped inside her home.
Reilly and Lottie followed the smell of bacon, fried
zucchini, and fresh bread, and found the McKinleys seated at the kitchen table.
Cormack sat across from Dillon, and snorted loudly but did not look up.
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