Free The Witching Craft (The Witches of Redwood Falls 2) by Janelle Daniels Page B

out of an apartment, his gate easy, no doubt feeling secure at his new location. He'd put several blockers in place, but he should've known nothing could keep Zander away.
    Slipping from the vehicle, he stalked toward Jack, relishing the quick jerk of his ex-friend's body when he’d spotted him.
    Jack shoved his hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels. "So, you found me."
    Zander whistled. "Nice place. You must’ve landed a huge deal."
    Jack’s previous residence hadn’t been a dump by any means, but this house was several notches above. The bounty on the talisman must be staggering. He didn't doubt it. What he'd been offered to steal the bracelet had taken his breath away, and that was before desperation settled in.
    "I did." Jack folded his arms and leaned against a small wall. "So, what now? Are you here to kill me or deliver some other dire threat to my life?"
    Zander snorted. "Why would I? I can hire you."
    Jack shifted.
    Good. Zander planned on unbalancing him the whole conversation. Jack would have anticipated and prepared for Zander’s anger. But what his ex-friend didn’t realize, was Zander had much more patience than petty revenge. Jack would get what was coming to him. But it could wait until Seph was returned safely.
    Jack’s head cocked. "Why would you do that?"
    "Why wouldn't I? Although you betrayed me, you're still excellent at what you do. And we were friends once. I'd rather not have to kill you."
    "We're still friends, Zander. It was merely a job. Nothing personal."
    "No." Zander shook his head regretfully. "I can forgive a lot, but when you take my mate and deliver her to a client like Voltaire… it’s over."
    Jack raked a hand through his hair. "She'll be returned once the talisman’s curse is broken and can be removed. Voltaire gave his word."
    Zander's throat closed. The reminder of who’d imprisoned her needled him.
    At one point, as Jack had mentioned, Zander would’ve felt the same way. Apathetic. He stole for people on both sides of the war, never siding. Sure, he had his own moral compass when it came to which projects he took on, but he didn’t discriminate as to which side of the line he worked for. Content to look out for himself, he would’ve let the two forces hash it out while he went on his merry way. But that wasn't possible any more.
    What changed? When had he changed?
    But he already knew the answer. Persephone. She'd altered him, affected him more than any other person in his life. She believed in the talisman, believed in the True One. And somehow, some way, during the time he'd spent with her, he’d come to believe, too.
    "I'm hiring you to take me to Voltaire's fortress."
    Jack barked a laugh. "No way. If I bring you there, not only would he kill me, but I'd turn my back on a client. Can't do that. Bad for business, Bud. You know that."
    Zander’s jaw clenched. Jack was absolutely right. Turning on a client would demolish his business. If Zander wanted Jack’s help, he’d have to appeal to Jack’s greed. "Fine. Tell me where he is. Give me directions. It’ll will never come back on you."
    "Why can't you scry for him?"
    "Attempting such a thing is pointless as no one’s succeeded before, but also dangerous. He'll have safeguards in place to alert him when such spells are cast. I can't risk him preparing for my arrival."
    "Sorry, Zander—"
    "Don't say you can't. You can. You owe me."
    "For what?"
    Zander’s eyes narrowed. "Let’s start from the top. We were friends, and you took my mate. The end."
    Jack swore.
    "This will never come back on you, Jack. Voltaire will never know you gave up his location." His voice hardened when Jack remained hesitant. If he had to push harder… "If he kills her, if even one hair on her head is harmed, you know who'll suffer for that. I won't just go after Voltaire, I'll come after you."
    Jack held up his hands. "All right. All right . Enough with the threats. I believe you. Besides, I liked her." Zander glared, but Jack only