Page 64 of Shark 2

Grant pushed me around the bar top, keeping himself between Silver and me.

“You always talk big, but you can never back it up,” Silver said as he shook his head, clearly disoriented.

“Please, old man, you don’t know what you’re talking about. I put it down when necessary and this little fight is not requiring a tenth of my focus.” Sure, I was dizzy, my head hurt, and I might have been taken out if Grant hadn’t intervened, but shit talking was one of my love languages.

Theo burst into the bar, panting, sweating, and for the first time, not wearing a wig. “Where is he?”

Grant and I pointed.

“Another woman to kill,” Silver snarled.

Theo sighed, marched forward, and slapped her hand against Silver’s cheek. “Shut up, you crochety, old, grumpy male.”

Silver slumped forward and passed out on the bar top.

30

Just to be safe, we tied Silver up, unsure if when he woke, he would still be bespelled. Grant carried him back to the restaurant, where my sisters had been healed enough to wake and tell us what had happened.

As I had expected, they’d gotten injured fighting Silver, trying not to truly hurt their adopted father.

Neither remembered seeing Roman, but he had obviously been at the bar to be able to put the spell on Silver.

“That means he’s in the city,” I said, “which means we can track him down and kill him.”

“It’s not that simple, Kass,” Theo said with a sigh. “He’s extremely powerful. I don’t know if I’ll be able to defeat him even with my powers.”

Zara said, “If we combine our powers, devise a plan, we should be able to take him down.”

Zyra nodded. “With enough force, any skull will crack.”

Leave it to my troll warrior sister to say something so simplistic, but valid.

While it seemed possible to come up with a plan that utilized all our abilities, Theo’s fear of him made me worried, even with so many of us.

Silver woke with a groan. He looked down and asked, “Why am I tied up?” He looked around and asked, “Is this another surprise party?”

Remembering the time we had tried to throw him a party that had caused him to lash out in shock at our yelled “surprise” made me smile.

“You don’t remember me kicking your ass?” I asked with a wide, innocent smile.

“So, that wasn’t a dream?” he sighed and looked at the troll sisters. “Are you okay?”

Zyra smiled. “Thankfully, you’re slower in your old age.”

He snarled, but then sighed and shook his head. “I failed to protect my daughters. I am sorry.”

I patted his shoulder. “It’s alright, Pops! I had fun fighting you.” Bending down, I untied him. “We tied you up in case you were still under the spell’s influence.”

“Smart move,” he said with a nod. Once he was freed, he took turns hugging me, Zyra, and Zara. “I’m proud of you three. Even if I am slower in my old age, you did well against me.” He looked at me. “It’s worrying that you’re so susceptible to headbutts. You need to remember that.”

I waved his words away. “I’m fine. It barely hurt.”

He scoffed, but didn’t say more.

“Perhaps it’s time to involve the hunters,” I said as I turned back to Theo. “I have the contact info for that one hunter who gave me his business card when Bastian was here.”

Theo scowled and clenched her fists.

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