Chapter 320: I Don’t Give Information On Credit

"Name your price," Nicholas said immediately.

Silas’s smile widened. "Ah, but that’s where things get interesting, isn’t it? You see, the witch you’re looking for, the one who gave your father that prophecy, she’s not just hiding. She’s been actively avoiding being found. By anyone. For seven years."

"Why?" Sebastian demanded.

"Because the last time she gave a prophecy to someone as powerful as your family, things went rather badly for everyone involved." Silas stood and walked to the windows, his hands clasped behind his back. "She’s paranoid. Careful. And she’s built protections around herself that make her nearly impossible to locate through conventional means."

"Nearly impossible," Nicholas repeated. "But not completely."

"Correct." Silas turned to face them. "I can tell you where she is. I can even tell you how to get past her wards. But my services do not come cheap, gentlemen."

"We already said we’ll pay whatever you ask," Sebastian said.

"Will you?" Silas walked back to his desk and pulled out a folder, setting it down on the marble surface. "Because what I want is not money."

Nicholas felt ice slide down his spine. "What do you want?"

Silas opened the folder and pulled out a photograph. He held it up for them to see, a young woman, maybe twenty-five, with dark hair and frightened eyes.

"Her name is Elena Markov," Silas said. "She’s a witch. Low-level, nothing particularly special about her abilities. But three months ago she witnessed something she shouldn’t have. A murder carried out by a very powerful vampire who does not want witnesses."

"And?" Nicholas prompted.

"And she came to me for help. I’ve been hiding her, but the vampire is getting closer to finding her. I need her moved to a safe house outside the territories. Somewhere he won’t think to look." Silas set the photograph down. "That’s my price. You take Elena Markov to safety, and I give you the witch’s location."

Sebastian’s jaw tightened. "That could take days. We don’t have days."

"Then I suggest you work quickly." Silas’s expression was completely neutral. "Those are my terms. Take them or leave them."

Nicholas looked at the photograph of the frightened woman and felt the weight of the choice pressing down on him. They could refuse. They could try to find another way to locate the witch. But every hour they wasted was an hour closer to Victoria’s deadline, an hour closer to losing Lilith.

And this woman, this Elena Markov was innocent. Was in danger because she had witnessed something terrible. If they walked away, she would likely die.

Nicholas had made enough morally questionable choices in his life. He was not adding this to the list.

"Fine," he said. "We’ll take her to safety. But we need the witch’s location first."

"No." Silas’s voice was firm. "You get her to the safe house, you send me confirmation she’s arrived safely, and then I give you the information. That’s how this works."

"That’s not acceptable..."

"That’s the only option you have," Silas interrupted. "I don’t give information on credit, Alpha Blackwood. You want what I have, you do this job first."

Nicholas felt Kael pushing at his control, demanding they force Silas to give them what they needed. But Nicholas could feel the wards around this office, could sense the power Silas had woven through this entire building. Starting a fight here would end badly.

And they did not have time for badly.

"Where is she?" Nicholas asked through gritted teeth.

Silas smiled and pressed a button on his desk. The door opened and the same elegant woman from before stepped inside, except this time she was not alone.

The girl from the photograph stood beside her, looking even more frightened in person. She was dressed in plain clothes and clutched a small bag to her chest like it contained everything she owned. When she saw Nicholas and Sebastian, she took an involuntary step back.

"Elena," Silas said gently. "These are the men I told you about. They’re going to take you somewhere safe."

Elena’s eyes widened. "These are wolves."

"Yes."

"The vampire who’s hunting me, he has wolves working for him...."

"These wolves are not working for anyone except themselves," Silas said. "And they have no reason to hurt you. They’re simply providing transportation in exchange for information I have that they need."

Elena looked at Nicholas and Sebastian with obvious distrust. Nicholas could not blame her. Two strange Alpha wolves showing up in the middle of the night to transport her to an unknown location, it sounded like the setup to a murder.

"You have my word," Nicholas said, meeting her frightened gaze. "We will get you to safety. We will not harm you. And the moment you’re secure, we will leave. You’ll never see us again."

Elena searched his face for a long moment and then looked at Silas.

"You trust them?" she asked.

"I trust that they need what I have more than they need to betray you," Silas said. Which was not exactly a ringing endorsement but was probably the closest thing to honesty Elena was going to get.

She nodded slowly. "Okay. I’ll go with them."

Silas pulled out another folder and handed it to Nicholas. "The safe house is four hours north of here. The address is inside along with the access codes for the wards. Get her there. Send me confirmation. And then I’ll give you what you need."

Nicholas took the folder without looking at it. "If you’re lying to us..."

"I’m not," Silas interrupted. "I have a reputation to maintain, Alpha Blackwood. If I started lying to clients, I would be out of business within a week. You’ll get what you came for. Just do the job first."

Nicholas looked at Sebastian and saw his brother’s frustration mirrored back at him. This was going to cost them time they did not have. But they also did not have a choice.

"Fine," Nicholas said. "We’ll take her."

"Excellent." Silas sat back down at his desk and picked up a pen, already dismissing them. "Maria will show you out. And Alpha Blackwood?"

Nicholas turned back.

"Don’t take too long," Silas said, his pale eyes sharp. "I’ve heard rumors about Victoria Morvaine gathering her forces. Whatever you’re trying to prevent, I suspect you’re running out of time to prevent it."