Sofia shook her head. “But Sir Percival isn’t the Black Knight.”
“And,” Anker growled, narrowing his eyes, “that means I have the Ebony Blade.”
The girls looked like goggle-eyed fish staring out of a fish tank.
“What is the Ebony Blade?” they cried.
“It’s a sword that was carved from a meteor by Merlin and given especially to me. It renders the one who wields it invulnerable. And that would be me. So long as I have it, no one can touch me.”
They gasped.
They began to whisper to each other. “It isn’t right that he should have it. There must be something we can do. Let’s discuss it over pizza tonight.”
Facing him, Sofia lifted her chin. “We shall conduct a roundtable this eve, and we shall find a way to … to …” She looked at her sister, but Beatrice shrugged, shaking her head.
“Nullify the blade’s power?” Ceci suggested.
Nico nodded. “Or neutralize it?”
Nodding and smiling, the girls’ eyes brightened.
Sofia turned back to Anker. “What they said.”
“Yeah,” Beatrice added. “What they said.”
Anker chuckled. “Well, good luck with that. In the meantime”—he sidled up to Nico and slung his arm around her shoulder— “Congratulations. That was one slick move you made there toward the end to get past me.”
“You liked that?” she said with a wry smile.
“I did. How’s about trying it out again tonight?”
Ceci rolled her eyes.
Before Nico could respond, Rocco—tall, dark, and determined—came up behind Anker, took his arm off her, and pushed him aside, slinging his own arm over her shoulder.
Anker smirked. “So, Rocco, how does it feel coming in behind your woman?”
Grinning, Rocco looked over at Nico. “I’d come in behind her any time she lets me.”
Ceci watched Nico blush as she nudged him. Nico was as tough as nails in concrete. She never blushed. Except around Rocco.
Anker shrugged. “Let me know when you figure out that Ebony Blade Hex, ladies,” he snarled to Sofia and Beatrice before walking off.
The girls began eagerly whispering to each other.
“A hex. That might work,” Sofia said.
“Most definitely. And to be sure,” Beatrice added.
Nico turned to Ceci. “I can’t believe you got Roxanne Windsor to take Anker on as a client next season.”
“Yeah,” Rocco said. “How’d you manage that?”
Ceci shrugged. “I have my ways.”
Just then Clarke approached.
Ceci noticed Nico glancing at Clarke and then back at her.
