Page 149 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

Ajax curses under his breath as he begins pacing the room. “And you made this using our own venom?”

He nods. “Venom is just raw magic. You can make many types of ma—”

“I know what the fuck it is! I just need to know if you can reverse the effects?”

He shakes his head.

“I don’t know how to. It just wears off by itself if you don’t inject or ingest more.”

I rub a hand over my face at his words.

“You need to find a way because if you think that vampires are your problem, then you have no idea what lies beyond that door,” Kaia tells him.

“What about a booster?” Finn asks, and all eyes fall on him. Another shrill scream rings out, and a cold chill creeps down my spine.

“What’s that?” I ask.

Finn looks up at me. “It’s a way that magic can be used to give temporary powers to a human.”

“For fuck's sake, what the hell else have you guys been cooking up down here?” Ajax asks.

“I think that’s the least of our worries right now.” I turn my attention back to Finn. “Could it give them back their powers?”

He looks genuinely lost.

“I don’t know…maybe.”

“We don’t have time for maybes. If one of those things gets to us and we have no power, then we’re all dead, so you'd better find a way to make something work.”

“In theory, it could, but I’d need to know where he stores it.”

Finn’s father seems hesitant, but then quickly thinks better of it when he takes in the gravity of our situation.

“I have some, but it’s back in my office. We would need to go out there.” I can see the fear on his face.

My temples pound in response, and I reach for Athriel, but he’s annoyingly silent once again.

Fuck.I don’t know what to do. I take a long breath, trying to calm my nerves. This isn’t the time to panic. We have to survive.

“I’m the only one with a bit of power, so I can hold them off while you get him to his office.”

“No.” Ajax’s voice booms, and I’m so unfamiliar with the tone that I almost forgot that he’s a member of the royal guard for a reason. “You’re not going out there.”

“What choice do we have? They’re going to come for me first. Should I just wait to die?”

I see the resignation on his face.

“This isn’t about me and Karius, Ajax. This is about saving innocent lives. People are dying out there because they’re trying to get to me. I’m the only one who stands a chance.”

“She’s right.” I’m surprised to find that Kaia is the one on my side, and a look of understanding passes between us. “You get him to the office, and I will go with her.”

“You have no powers,” he reminds her.

“You don’t need power to win a fight. You just need to know your enemy’s weakness, and I know theirs.”

A long look passes between them, and I see the moment that he gives in. He nods, and an emotion that twists my gut fills his face.

“Stay alive.” He looks at both of us before he turns away, grabbing Finn’s father by the arm and racing out. Piper and Finn rush out behind them, and I take a breath.