Lana falls into step beside me, bumping my shoulder gently. “Admit it,” she says quietly, “she’s making this whole treasure hunt more fun.”
I’m about to deny it when Julia lets out a delighted squeal. “I hear water! We must be getting close!”
She’s right—the sound of rushing water grows louder as we continue forward. A few minutes later, we emerge from the trees to find ourselves facing the waterfall Jake mentioned.
It’s impressive—about thirty feet high, cascading down a rocky cliff face into a clear pool below. The morning sun catches in the spray, creating a shimmering rainbow effect that makes Julia gasp with wonder.
“It’s like something out of a fairy tale,” she breathes, then immediately ruins the poetic moment by adding, “Do you think there are any fish in there? I forgot to pack lunch.”
Richard steps forward, consulting his notes. “According to Wolf’s journal, we’re looking for ‘where water meets stone, where the light of the equinox touches the mark of the wolf’.”
“The equinox is tomorrow,” Lana reminds us. “So we need to find the ‘mark of the wolf’ today to know where to look when the sun hits it tomorrow.”
We spread out around the pool, keeping within sight of each other as we search the rocks for anything resembling a wolf mark. The security team establishes a perimeter, with Hawk finding a high vantage point overlooking the area.
I’m examining a series of rocks near the edge of the pool when I hear Julia’s voice again.
“Hey guys,” she calls, her tone suddenly different—less bouncy, more focused. “I think I found something.”
Chapter 26
Lana
We all gather around Julia, who’s crouching near a large, flat stone at the water’s edge. Her usual excitement has been replaced by a focused intensity that surprises me.
“Look at this,” she says, pointing to what appears to be a series of scratches on the rock’s surface. “It’s not natural erosion.”
I kneel beside her, studying the markings more closely. At first glance, they seem random—just the kind of weathering you’d expect on a rock constantly exposed to flowing water. But as I trace them with my fingers, I realize Julia’s right. There’s an intentional pattern here, almost like...
“A wolf,” I breathe, excitement bubbling up inside me. “It’s subtle, but if you look at it from this angle...” I shift position, and suddenly the scratches align to form the unmistakable silhouette of a wolf’s head in profile.
Richard hurries over, his notebook clutched in his hand. “Extraordinary,” he murmurs, carefully comparing the mark to a drawing in his notes. “It matches a symbol Thomas used in his later journal entries.”
Caleb kneels on my other side, his shoulder pressing against mine. “Good eye, Julia,” he says, genuine respect in his voice. “I would have missed this completely.”
Julia beams with pride. “I told you I’d be useful! I have an eye for patterns—it’s why I’m so good at ‘Find the Difference’ puzzles.”
Drake and Roadrunner exchange amused glances while Nightingale moves closer to examine our discovery, as Hawk keeps an eye out from higher ground.
“So this is where the light of the equinox needs to hit tomorrow,” I say, trying to visualize the sun’s path. “But from which direction? And at what time?”
Richard consults his notes again. “The spring equinox... equal day and night. The sun would rise due east and set due west.” He pulls a compass from his pocket, then looks up at the surrounding terrain, “If I’m right, we need to be here at sunrise tomorrow. That’s when the light would strike this spot most directly from the east.”
“Sunrise it is,” Caleb agrees, standing and scanning our surroundings. “We should mark this location precisely and head back. I don’t want to draw attention by staying too long.”
As if on cue, Hawk’s voice comes through our earpieces. “Movement in the trees to the northwest. Two figures, moving slowly. Could be hikers, but probably trouble.”
A chill runs through me when I see Caleb’s expression turn instantly alert as he responds, “Copy that. Keep your eyes on them. Everyone else, pack up casually. Don’t look like you’re in a hurry.”
Julia, to her credit, doesn’t panic. She nods and begins gathering her things, though I notice her hands are trembling slightly.
“Are we in danger?” she whispers to me as I help her with her backpack.
“Just being careful,” I try to assure her, despite my racing heart. “Stay close to Drake. He’s built like a tank for a reason.”
Caleb is speaking quietly into his radio, coordinating with the security team. I catch fragments: “...maintain visual... no direct engagement unless... extraction route...”
Richard takes several quick photographs of the wolf mark and its surroundings before joining us. “We have what we need,” he says. “We can return tomorrow at dawn.”
