"Fortunately, you've come to the right place. I do know of an Ikarvoi. The Ikarvoi I know of is a hermit. Would this be the same Ikarvoi that you are looking for?"

Lorena hadn't spoken. She simply gazed upon Wilhelm as if trying to see beyond the boy's perfect mask. Her silence simply prompted Wilhelm with his next move.

"Given the rarity of this information, the price is 300 gold."

Mirrah almost choked at the amount and had to keep herself from echoing the number aloud. That much for a piece of information? Not only that but it didn't even seem like he knew if he were sure of the location himself. The Ikarvoi he knew might not be the same as the Ikarvoi that Lorena wanted to meet. And yet after baiting her with so much information even Mirrah was ready to comply. The entire thing reeked of scam.

...Of course some of this would be going into her own pocket, who was she to argue?

"But unfortunately, information alone will not be enough to get you to her. She knows the perfect way to hide her home from people. The only reason no one knows where she is is because of those very wards." Mirrah cast a glance towards her charge, thoroughly surprised, and, she dare say, impressed by his silver tongue. She knew the words that were going to follow before Wilhelm said them. "For an extra bonus, I can guide you to where she is." He was grinning as if he had already won.

Lorena had kept her silence the entire time and kept it a while longer after Wilhelm spoke. When she did speak it was with a harsh laugh. She leaned forward, setting the wine glass upon the table. "You are exactly as they have said, boy. Hard to turn down and equally as expensive. Unfortunately, I don't have a single coin on me, much less three hundred gold ones." It was surprising how she was still grinning after saying that.

But Mirrah had seen scenes like this more than once. If someone wanted something bad enough and didn't have the resources to bargain for it, they usually resorted to violence. Even though Lorena lacked the muscles to beat any kind of information out of a child, she had more than enough knives on her person to beat some kind of information out. And the location she picked, lacking of any escape routes, enclosed in such a tight spot only made the work easier for her. And Mirrah doubted anyone out there would come running if someone started screaming.

But Lorena was still outnumbered, if Mirrah were willing to count Wilhelm, two to one. Lorena wouldn't try it would she?

"There's no need to glare Mirrah, dear."

Mirrah blinked, almost flinched. Lorena was gazing at her now, the mischievous smile on her face never waning. She turned her eyes back to Wilhelm. "Your Wilhelm is quite composed for his age, I must say. I imagine you're expecting something more since you didn't just up and leave when I said I had no money." She paused, measuring the reaction in Wilhelm's face. "And you're right. I do still have my bargaining chip. Out of the things that I've heard, people have told me that Sir Wilhelm has a fascination with the mystical and rarities of the world. Am I correct?"

She grinned, leaning back now. She didn't even bother to let Wilhelm answer. "Have you heard of the Watchers, boy? They are the race that lives on Tranquility, horned beings that no one has ever seen. Supposedly they were charged with protecting that floating island from land dwellers. Protecting a treasure high up in the sky."

Mirrah frowned slightly. This moved almost seemed similar to the one Wilhelm had just played. But Lorena didn't stop. In fact she leaned forward, bringing her voice a notch lower to invite Wilhelm closer in. "Legend has it they could communicate with the gods. Their horns acted like little antennaes that tapped into the divine frequencies. They could see the future." Lorena paused, her sly grin growing ever present. "Or so they say."

She leaned back suddenly, pulling out from her pouch a small object which she placed lightly on the table. The sound it made reminded Mirrah of stone. Lorena pulled her hand away. "And everyone says it's a myth."

Mirrah stared down at the object set on the table. Larger than her palm, curled into a slight coil. It looked like a horn. A tiny black devil's horn.

"One for the information." Mirrah looked up at Lorena. Another horn was in her hands, a mirror reflection of the one sitting on the table. "And the second for the trip there."