Elias stood in the cold rain, the city stretching before him in a blur of neon and shadow.
Devlin Kade's words echoed in his mind.
"They don't leave doors unlocked without a damn good reason."
Water dripped from the brim of his hat as he reached into his coat pocket, fingers brushing against something that hadn't been there before.
A folded scrap of paper.
He pulled it out, unfolding it under the glow of a flickering streetlamp. The ink had smudged slightly from the damp, but the message was clear.
Find them. Tell them I sent you. They owe me. They'll help.
Beneath the message, a list of names. Four in total:
Victor Crane – The Smuggler Lucien Graves – The Occultist Mira Holt – The Locksmith Jonas Rook – The Gravedigger
Elias let out a slow breath.
This wasn't just a favor. This was Kade calling in debts.
The old wolf had spent a lifetime gathering people who owed him, and now, when he had nothing left to cash in, he was passing the chips to Elias.
A rumble of thunder rolled overhead as Elias stared at the names. He didn't believe in luck. But if Kade thought these people could help, then he wasn't about to waste the chance.
He tucked the note back into his pocket and glanced down the rain-slicked street. He still had time before sunrise.
And if he was going into the tunnels beneath the city, he wasn't going alone.
He turned up his collar and stepped into the night.
First stop—Victor Crane.