The Journal

“Do we have a scent? Logan asked.
“No, whoever did this either did it a while ago or is practically undetectable.
Emily watched as the woman, she came to know as lexi dumped the wet and black materials on the already crowded desk. Bruce moved to make more room.
“I only noticed it because I was studying that stupid painting on the wall, I know I never lit a fire, and I’ve spent these past few days holed up here. The books are wet, who ever did this had to leave in a hurry, or there would be no remnants.”
“You said you haven’t found anything, so it shouldn’t matter what this intruder burned.”
“it is interesting, that of all the books here they chose to burn only three.”
“I think we can all agree that that’s not the only problem, it’s the fact that they’re in Wolfcity-they got into the main house. “ Bruce pointed out.
“and what if it was one of us. No one knew we were going through the archives except the people in this room and Aspen. “
“Aspen is not a mole Lexi, that’s rubbish.”
She shrugged, and dusted her hands on her thighs. They only came up with more dust.
“it could’ve been a were who hasn’t turned yet.” Frasier suggested looking directly at Emily. She froze as the room which seemed oblivious to her presence before, faced her with their full attention.
“What are you saying?” Logan asked.
“A wolf that hasn’t shifted, not quite human, not quite were. Her smell is near undecernable. And she did intrude on our last meeting in your office.”
“I’m a suspect?” Emily asked incredulous. She looked at Logan waiting for his back up but he said nothing.
“she was the first attack in the area.” Frasier added.
“Aspen was the first attack in this area.” Lexi countered.
“but she wasn’t taken here, she was kidnapped from the town over.” Bruce’s voice rang louder than the rest. “As far as I’m concerned, Emily and her family were just an easy target. The only weres in this town without a pack.”
“-And a way to get into the city.”
“That’s enough.” Logan finally commanded. Lexi cleaned her hands on a napkin she found buried in a drawer and the men looked around the room.
“what can you make off from the pages Lexi?”
“I wouldn’t call them pages.” Lexi remarked, leafing through the black mass. “there’s a whole lot of cursive-I don’t think the texts in this one are in English, this one looks like a dog shat on it, there’s a weird sigil on this one...”
Curiosity made Emily draw closer. the insignia on it looked familiar, she was sure she had seen it somewhere. Was it a store? Restaurant, maybe when she was cleaning. A light lit up in her head as it clicked.
“I know that symbol!” she yelled. “Oh my God.”
“where have you seen it?” Logan demanded.
“I’ll be right back.” Bruce and Frasier cursed. “I promise, just give me a sec okay.”
Without waiting for a response she sprinted to her room. Her father’s journal; was exactly where she had left it. to be certain she had not imagined seeing the symbol, she glanced through the book, and came up empty. It had to be there. if it wasn’t, then her epiphany at the library would be pointless and the head guard would have a bigger reason to not trust her. Logan could do the same!
She tried again, moving slower. She leapt for joy when she found it there.
“Emily?” Logan called from her doorway.
“I found it!”
I haven’t had the chance to read through it but there’s the symbol.” She showed it to Logan.
“What book is this?”
“My father’s journal. My brother took it after the attack. Mom was with it for a while, we felt it was right if she read it first, since he was her husband…” she rambled on as they hurried to the library.
He placed it smack in their middle and everyone peered at the page with curiosity. The urge to yank her father’s book back and run was great. They had only just accused her of destroying their property, and now they were looking at the only thing her father left her that would make sense of the situation.
“hoc est nostrum.” Logan read.
“that’s latin.” Lexi supplied. “it should mean something along the lines of ‘it is mine’ I can’t be certain.”
Logan read quietly, his eyes darting across the pages. He stopped after a few minutes.
“he just talks about the past…poetically I might add.” That was her father alright. “he says there are secrets worth protecting,” Logan flipped the page. “But as his predecessors taught, he has to pass in on in the old tongue.”
Sighs of exasperation were let out. Frasier rubbed at his eyebrows. Emily could not help but feel that she had failed them.
“The language is the same as the one on the burnt page.” Lexi pointed out,
“Old tongue.” Logan was grinding the wheels in his head. “And he burned the books with the old tongues scribbled in them. we were checking the archives but what if there’s something here that can help us. A book for translation.”
“you mean a dictionary.”
“Yes, and we need to find one for this language.”
“I’ll start at the west wing” Lexi responded. Frasier groaned.
“I was thinking…” Emily started. They all turned their attention on her. “we could also search for other books that bare the seal. They might be helpful.”
“We’re trying to find secrets afterall.” Frasier and Lexi headed towards the bookshelves.
“I’ll go get Aspen, we need as many hands as we can get.”
Logan and Emily remained. She eyed her father’s journal.
“Here.” He closed it an handed it back to her. “Thank you. I think you should keep on reading it, I believe there’s more in the book that can help us.”
She nodded in agreement. I’ll let you get back to it.” she muttered, and headed back to her room. She thought of asking her mother what she learnt but knew it was better to find out herself.