Chapter 3

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Jones ambled along the edge of the lake, biting his fingernails as he let his mind wander. He needed to focus on the task at hand but he couldn't help thinking about Stone and whether he was ok. He should have mentioned the fall to Baird as soon as they met up with her, however, he assumed that Jake would tell her given how close the pair was.

Even though they all met at roughly the same time, Eve and Jacob had bonded much more as their time in the library progressed. It wasn't a romantic relationship, but the two of them shared something that made their friendship closer. They were almost like siblings with the way they rivalled one another whilst still remaining each other's biggest supporters.

It started with fight training. Baird had noticed some raw talent within the Texan and decided that it would be best if at least one librarian had some offensive ability. (Jenkins had also agreed and was now very proud of his protégé's sword skills). It made sense for Jake to learn seeing as he was the head librarian, a position that often sent him off alone. She didn't like it when two missions popped up at once, especially given that the historian would always insist that she stay with the others. It was rare that he came home from a solo adventure without some form of injury. He was a bit accident-prone, often getting too focused on something and not watching where he was going. This latest incident was a perfect example. How had he managed to get a concussion walking through a forest? It would make sense if it was during the tremor, but he fell way after that.

On the group missions, the two would regularly pair up to do the more dangerous side of the job. After so many years of working together, they no longer need words to communicate, they just instinctively knew what they needed to do. It weirded Jones out a bit, and he was pretty sure that Cassandra was getting jealous for a while there before moving on to other interests. Now there all quite pleased with the current dynamics, each having their own place in this well-oiled machine.

Jones was still lost in thought when a hand grasped his shoulder, pulling him back. And he was lucky it did, or else he would be waist-deep in muddy lake water.

"Jones, are you alright? You almost took a dip there." The guardian pulled him further away from the edge.

"Yeah, sorry was just thinking about Stone... I'm really sorry I didn't say anything earlier, I thought he would have told you himself." His eyes fixated on his very expensive, but also very muddy trainers.

"It's ok. Normally he would mention it but I think he was a bit distracted." She sighed thinking back to how confused he looked before almost collapsing. "Sometimes head injuries can make us act a little off."

"Yeah, what was if all that stuff he was saying?" The thief often got lost when his colleague spoke about art and history, but this time it actually seemed like he wasn't making any sense.

"I don't know." Her shoulders sunk as she kicked a nearby rock into the water. "Jenkins promised me he would keep an eye on him."

The two of them continued to wander around in silence, searching for any signs of the magical threat. They were almost ready to give up on their quest when Jones stumbled onto something in the long grass that lined the lake. Whatever had made its home down there apparently didn't always stick to one location. Some strange tracks leading to and from the lake suggested that it at some point must have left its home, and recently too given how fresh they were. Ezechiel snapped a couple of photos and sent them off to Jenkins.

It wasn't too long after that Eve's phone started buzzing.

"Hello."

"Jones found them by the edge of the lake in some grass."

"What do you mean Mr Stone was doing some research? Jacob is supposed to be resting.

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"I'm pretty sure that climbing up and down ladders fetching books is not resting."

"I don't care how well you're feeling now, an hour ago you were slurring your words and falling unconscious. You have a concussion, Stone; they require time to heal"

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"Fine. We'll wait here for Cassandra. Jenkins, you make sure Jake goes back to bed."

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Cassandra was standing on her fifth doorstep within an hour. Telling people you're a librarian using that spell Jake found, only got you so far. As soon as she mentioned the old articles depicting a lake monster, everyone suddenly stopped talking. One person practically threw her out of their house. She guessed that these people received some backlash after their original report and now they decided a vow of silence on the matter was for the best. Cassandra could only hope that this next person would at least hear her out.

She rang the doorbell, smiling gleefully at the little tune that followed.

"One-minute dear." A warm voice called through the house.

"Take your time." The librarian responded.

The door opened revealing a short woman with wiry grey hair and soft brown eyes. She smiled at her visitor before enquiring who she was. The witch replied with her usual declaration of "I'm a librarian." As per usual, the charm worked and she was beckoned inside.

"I'm here for a project our library is undertaking." The elderly woman nodded as she poured some tea. "We have selected random newspaper clippings from the past to do a kind of, 'where are they now?' thing. I was wondering if you could give me an interview regarding the campsite where you and your friends reported seeing a lake monster?"

"Sure, I would love to. I'm guessing the others didn't give you anything?" Cassandra shook her head as the other woman looked on sympathetically. "After that article got published, we became the laughing stock of the entire town. After a few years things went back to normal, but we never quite outgrew that embarrassment." She sighed placing her cup and saucer down. "I have no problem accepting my past, but the others prefer to bury it..."

Twenty minutes later, Cassandra left the kind lady's house with a box of freshly baked shortbread for her and the team. She was sure this would cheer Jake up. Although he wasn't keen on most snacks, he was partial to a bit of shortbread on occasion.

She was about to text Jenkins asking for another door when the phone in her hand started to ring. Speak of the devil.

"Hey, was just about to text you."

"The woman I just spoke to said that she and her friends found some weird footprints coming from behind their cabin. They followed them back to the lake when they saw a blue fish-like creature with gills and fins walking into the water."

"Ok, I'll meet them there... How's Jake doing?"

"She tell him to go to bed again?"

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"She just worries about him. He puts a lot of pressure on himself and sometimes he forgets that he can ask for help. He'll be alright though, won't he?"

"Good. I'll see you in a few."

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The door opened with a glow of yellow light. Jones and Baird waited as their colleague stumbled through. Like most trips through the backdoor, her landing was bumpy and best. Cassandra dusted herself off and then joined the others as they sat on a picnic bench.

"There is definitely something living in that lake." Jones declared, taking a bite out of some shortbread.

Cassandra nodded her agreement before adding, "yeah, and it seems to be the same creature from those old articles the clipping book showed us."

"Jenkins said he was going to look into it. He said we should wait here until he finds something." Baird shrugged as she tucked into her own biscuit.

She was just wiping the crumbs from her chin when Jake called.

"You're supposed to be in bed."

"So help me... I don't care if you are lying down as you read, it's not your legs that need resting, it's your brain."

"Is your headache still bothering you?"

"Jacob Stone, when I get back to that annex you best be up in that bed of yours with a bottle of pain killers and not a single book in sight. Do you understand?"

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"What did you find?"

As she listened to the ramblings of a very excited librarian, Eve failed to notice the tall shadow creeping up on her. It wasn't until she saw Jones' jaw drop open that she knew something was wrong. She slowly turned; phone still held firmly in her grip as the sound of Jake's voice rung through. In front of her stood a near 7ft creature, with blue scaled skin, dripping a small puddle of water onto the ground. Silvery fins ran down its arms in a wave-like motion, and to complete its aquatic look, gills sat comfortably on its neck. Its head tilted as it looked the guardian over, possibly considering whether she was enemy or prey. Eve wished to be neither one of those options.

"Jake, tell Jenkins we need a door... like now!"

Without even a moment to think, the group shot up from their seats and legged it toward the backdoor.