Chapter 33

And I'll have to wait to fill him in on everything I've learned in the last twenty-four hours... Because practically the exact moment that we step back into the village and away from the trees, where I have an unobstructed view down the street towards the main road through Oakton, the bus passes, and I groan. Eli will be on that bus. It's almost ten thirty now, and the next bus isn't for another hour, meaning it'd be well after midday before he gets anywhere. I know my brother, and he won't sit around the house wasting a Saturday away.

That's not even anything to do with it being the cottage. It wouldn't be him trying to avoid Iris. He was the same back home - out of the house most weekends before I'd even emerged from my room, and then we wouldn't see him again until he was hungry. Which could be anything up to twelve hours later.

Knowing that it's just Elijah being Elijah, and not some elaborate plan to avoid me, doesn't make it any less infuriating, though, and I let out a