Page 53 of Lord of Ruin (The Age of Blood #2)

“Taking the blood of the Unblooded criminals made my Blood Working stronger,” Isaac admitted, with no small amount of pride.

“But Kevan Dunn’s blood, that awakened something else, Blood Working unlike that has been seen for centuries.

From a less civilized age, before our magic had been given structure and order, back when the legends of vampires still hung over the head of every Blood Worker.

“So, where I have failed before,” Isaac said, standing and pressing his hands into the table, towering over them.

He could smell the sudden tang of fear and unease, their hearts beating just a little bit faster.

“I am ready to make up for that, if you would allow me to. If you would be brave enough to use me.”

He pulled his lips back, baring the sharp fangs that had grown from his eyeteeth, letting them see just a hint of the hunger that lay beneath. “It seems that the legends were not completely correct—I am not a vampire, but a manananggal out of our own people’s legends. Anton can confirm.”

The man nodded, but said nothing more—this was Isaac’s show, Isaac’s pitch, and he wasn’t done.

“I am getting stronger with each Blood Worker I slay, and perhaps one day soon, I’ll be strong enough to fight the King himself.

But first, I suggest we cut the ground out from under their feet.

If we are to declare war, I suggest I finish what I started and destroy the Blood Treasury and every last drop of their reserves. ”

“This is very risky for you, Isaac.” Anton rested his forearms on his knees, leaning in with a furrowed brow and open concern in his eyes. “I’m not sure I am comfortable with that.”

That he hadn’t expected. “Don’t worry, the risk to me will be minimal.”

“But—”

“You’re the one who told me about the myths,” Isaac interrupted, the near invulnerability that came with being a manananggal. “So, let’s see how much truth there is to them.”

Anton was about to argue again, but Maia reached over, laying her hand on his wrist. “He’s right and you know that. This is the best option for all of us.” She fixed him with a steady stare, dark eyes glinting. “And he knows what he is doing, right?”

Isaac inclined his head to her. She had such nerve, and one day, when things were a little less tumultuous, he would love to be her friend. “I am.”

“Good,” Alaric chimed in, as if that settled matters. “If we plan to do this, I need to liquidate as many of my assets as possible. Once…” Alaric hesitated, the word stuck on his tongue “… war breaks out, it will get more difficult to ensure that my funding goes unnoticed.”

“A fair point, and something to consider with our timelines,” Anton agreed, and even Isaac had no grounds to argue that.

As much of a calculating coward that Alaric had proven himself to be, Isaac knew that the Rothe estate was providing so much of the money that they needed, and things were only going to get worse.

“Then it’s time to start arming folks,” Maia said, with a glint in her eyes that worried Isaac.

“This isn’t a war you can win on strength alone,” Isaac cautioned.

“We know that,” Anton said, waving a dismissive hand. “This is a war that will be fought in the shadows, pecking away at their power with strategic strikes until we get to the King himself.”

“Precisely,” Maia said, turning her hard gaze on Isaac. “But we cannot be complacent. Folks will need to be able to defend themselves, even with you on the loose.”

Doing most of the work, Isaac was coming to realize, but that was something he could live with. He had made himself a monster, so they might as well use it.

“All right,” Isaac agreed. There was little an Unblooded could do against a Blood Worker in any kind of fair fight, but there were options.

“Long-range weapons and fast-acting poisons are your best bet—even if it isn’t strong enough to take down a Blood Worker on its own, it might give you time to escape. ”

“Expensive though,” Alaric cautioned. “Probably hard to get.”

“Some more than others,” Isaac admitted. “Though Anton would know that as well.” The man flashed him a cocky grin, and it soothed some of his fears. “It’s still the best option, unless we gain a lot more Blood Workers to our side.”

“Maybe that’s something you should be working on,” Anton offered.

“Not me,” Isaac said, with no amount of heartbreak. He knew what he was, toxic to both sides, claimed by neither Unblooded nor Blood Worker. This is where Shan would have been helpful, but that was the one person they couldn’t fully trust, no matter how much it hurt. “Maybe Celeste?”

“I’ll ask her.” Anton clapped his hands together, looking reinvigorated. “It sounds like we have the beginnings of a plan, and a goal in mind. How long will you need?”

Alaric and Maia shared a long look, an entire conversation passing without a single word spoken.

“As much as you can give us,” Alaric said, at the same time Maia said, “Six weeks.”

Six weeks felt too long, but Isaac quelled the anxious thrum of his own heart. These things took time, and in the meantime, he could find more targets. He just needed some direction—some guidance from the person who did have his finger on the pulse of the elite of Aeravin.

Samuel would know how to use him, and as the others fell into a discussion of minutiae that he would only be tangentially helpful too, Isaac steeled himself.

A weapon waiting for a hand to wield it.