Chapter 87

Five years had passed since then, and the children's laughter was again louder, as Hannah and Hadzen played with their cousin Dylan under the great oak tree in the courtyard of their estate, a warm afternoon spent in sheer energy as the three children ran round the great oak tree in the garden.

"Hannah! Slow up, wait for me!" he yelled as he chased after her as she plunged toward the tree. He had just been bumped by Tylan, their family friend, and was laughing as he tried to catch up with Hannah who always seemed faster.

"Catch me if you can, Dylan!" she laughed as her brown curls bounced and she climbed higher into the branches of the tree.

Hadzen sat on a nearby bench, with a book in his lap, reading and looked up from his story with a frown. "Hey, don't be so noisy!" he said sternly.

Hannah stopped half-way up the tree, looked down to Dylan who stood under, panting. The two looked at each other, their mischievous grins even as they understood each other without words — this was som