Page 87 of The Kraken Games

In the end, she surfaced, gasping, and pulled herself onto a rock. In seconds Tom was bobbing his head up, a look of concern in his eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“I just,”gasp, “can’t keep up with you.”Gasp. “How can you hold your breath for that long underwater?”

He looked perplexed. “I don’t. I breathe.”

Luna wrinkled her nose. “That’s not possible.”

“It is for me.”

“How?”

“By switching over to my gills.” He looked perplexed. “Don’t you have them?”

Luna’s eyes widened. “No.”

“Humans don’t have gills?”

Luna frowned, laughed. “Of course not.”

“I thought they did.”

“No way. Show me.”

Tom pulled himself up on the rock next to her and peeled back his ear. Luna’s jaw dropped as he exposed a small flap of skin.

“May I?” She reached out.

“Sure.”

Gently, she lifted the flap to see a slit set diagonally, just under his ear. “On both sides?”

“Yep.” Tom twisted his head so she could look.

Luna asked in an awed voice, “H—how did you get them?”

“I’ve always had them.”

“I remember you as a baby and I promise you didnothave them then.”

He shrugged. “As long as I can recall, at least. I’ve always been able to swim where the Mer folks go and stay under as long as they can.”

“And you never thought to ask how you got them?” Luna was incredulous.

Tom laughed. “Until now, I honestly had no reason to question it. I really thought they were a human thing too.”

“Sadly, no.”

“That’s a shame.”

“You bet it’s a shame. I’d love a pair.”

“Well, maybe whoever fitted mine can operate on you.”

Her heart sped up. “Do you know who it was?”

“Nah, but I guess Brooke would know. Or Letitia.”

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