Illymoyas and her clan.
Annan tried to recall the scant knowledge Mr. Vic had given him:
The size of a Blue Dragon clan varied. Most had seven or eight to thirty-odd members, but a large clan with especially strong family ties could have more than fifty.
Once a clan had more than ten members, it usually had several Adult Dragons. At more than twenty, it likely had an Elder Dragon. A clan of over fifty was certain to have an Ancient Dragon...
A Dragon's power came with age. The older they were, the stronger they became.
The Warlock's Handbook listed the stages of a Dragon's growth as Young Dragon, Young Dragon, Middle-Aged Dragon, Elder Dragon, Ancient Dragon, and beings older still... Those divisions described strength, not physical condition. At most, a Dragon that took human form might go from a young girl to a mature woman as it aged, because of its sense of beauty... No, that wasn't the point.
Annan shook his head. His knowledge was too scattered.
In short, aside from low birth rates and slow growth, the Dragon Clan had almost no weaknesses. Even their bodies were full of valuable materials.
Ratfolk were the opposite extreme. Two Ratfolk could produce dozens more in three months, and those dozens would grow up in another three months. They were too filthy even to use as fertilizer.
Illymoyas was still asleep. Waking a Dragon made her irritable, but Annan would probably be fine. Besides, he had a Magic Ring full of Gemstones...
Before he did anything, though, Annan needed to confirm that seeking outside help complied with the Blood Council's "rules" for the Crimson Princess.
As word of their setbacks spread with malicious glee, the Crimson Princess was rapidly becoming a laughingstock. Some Vampires hadn't laughed yet—not because they supported