Page 25 of Chivalry in the Meadow
“My hoodie,” Lilly rushed over to where it lay on the ground, halfway across the tent.
Mia gasped. Her copy ofHis Lady’s Heartlay open, face-down, on the ground.
Lilly picked up her hoodie, and Mia’s bookmark which had fallen out of her book.
“Who could have done this?” Mia asked. “Finn?”
Lilly frowned. “No. He would never go through our things.”
“Why would anyone do this?” Mia said.
“Looking for money, jewelry, or other valuables,” Lilly said. “Did you leave any cash?”
“No, I didn’t leave cash, or anything of monetary value.” Mia placed the rose on her cot and then picked up her book.
She dusted it off and looked inside at the pages which had been on the ground.
One of the pages had been bent.
“I’ll tell Finn what happened and see what he says,” Lilly said.
She handed Mia the bookmark.
Wind rustled outside. A low, skittering sound moved behind the tent.
Both women stilled.
“Raccoon?” Lilly whispered.
“Too fast,” Mia replied. She crept to the entrance and peeked out.
Nothing.
But up in the tree, half-hidden in shadow, sat the owl, huge and still.
“Was that you in my dream?” she asked softly, low enough that Lilly wouldn’t hear.
It’s eyes, golden and slightly glowing didn’t blink as it watched her. It didn’t move just watched her.
“Whoever was in this tent, you saw them,” she said softly, speaking the knowing.
Was that my fifth knowing today? She’d stopped counting them.
The owl blinked once.
“I wish you could tell me who did this,” she said.
Then the owl let out a low, guttural hoot that sounded almost like a warning.
It felt like one, to her.
“Who are you talking to?” Lilly had come up beside her and was looking out.
“Just that owl,” Mia pointed. “He spoke, but I can’t understand what he said.”
Lilly turned to look at Mia, quizzically, but didn’t say anything.
I forgot not to let her know about my woo-woo feelings and thoughts. I need to be quiet.
