Mythfits

17-Ella

"Oh." Christine looks over the information that I've laid out on the library table, "That's it? I could have told you that."

I sigh in irritation, "That's what I guessed, but seriously- This is it. All the info he had. He said something about someone named Clara not responding."

Christine brightens, "Clara? He has Clara's number? I totally need to get that from him! I haven't talked to her in so long!"

Frowning, I snap my fingers, "Focus?"
She smiles apologetically, "Sorry, focus. Right. Well, it looks like whoever wrote the book was also making observations about other Kinds." She flips open to a bookmarked page to show me yet another detailed sketch of a mythical creature- a small dragon-like creature with an ox's tail and a backwards unicorn horn, "See? This one is a Kirin, a Japanese relative of the Quiln. They are the judges of the ancient Kind society, and they are thought to bring good luck wherever they go." She runs her finger over the notes made in the margins of the paper, so many, in different colors and fonts, it looked more like art than legible writing, even if we could read it. Glancing at the alternate page, she jumps in her seat, "Woah,"

I peer over her shoulder, "What? Did you find something?" Christine points to the page, which is not written in japanese, but in latin, "Okay, so why is that written in some other language? We still don't know what it means. "

"I know, I know." Christine exclaims happily, "But I recognize this style of formatting a spell. Even though I'd have to translate it to be sure, I think that this is a reversal spell for something."

"Why would you think that?" I ask- who knew that spells had specific formats?

"So you see how the title is larger than the rest and is aligned properly in the center?" She looks over at me, and I nod along like I know what she means, "But if you look at the body, it's written upside down."

"Huh." I check it out and sure enough, not only do we have a japanese book written in latin, we have a japanese book written in upside down latin. Oh the joys.

"This was how most of the witches and other colonial spellcasters during the time of the salem witch trials wrote down the reversals to their spells." Christine explains, and starts saying something about style and efficiency of writing inverted, but at this point I'm catching every other word she says. It's a good thing that crazy smart people like Christine exist, or I don't know how I could do this.

You mean do this without other people? My brain puts in sindely. Shut up. I tell it. My brain does not shut up, instead it continues mocking me- you don't want Steve to help, but you'll let her help?

In an attempt to ignore my brain, which is not an easy feat, I interrupt Christine, "So if it's in latin, can you read it?"

Christine pauses, "Sure." she bends over the book and takes a picture of it, "I'll get this back to you- my latin is a little rusty so I'll have to go back over my books."

"Thanks." I reply, and to my surprise- I mean it.