Page 11 of The Kraken Games

“Relax, boy, you can let them out in here,” Shen said.

With a sigh of relief, Kai did so, feeling the skin of his torso part in multiple places as they uncoiled. His scarred tentacles throbbed a little, but not unbearably. Outside, the water glowed as the sun set. Closer to the river mouth, Kai knew the marshes became murkier, that poverty lurked in the shanty buildings. Poorer monster species lived in the damp houses, their gardens and even their houses sometimes swimming in water.

Not here, though. Here, there were lush carpets and sofas in shades of blue and green, paintings of the underwater realms on the walls, and scatter cushions the color of bright coral. Everything was so reminiscent of home.

Hana finally arranged herself opposite them with a pretty smile. “Please eat. Kepa etit,good appetite.”

Kai dug in, trying not to shovel the food into his mouth. He was starving, he realized, after the long swim from Thedaka. With the hours of training he put in, he was always hungry. Soon he would be dining out in Motham, and he’d have to look suave, sophisticated and have good manners. Honestly, he preferredto break food with a tentacle and coil it into his mouth but he needed to practice human ways. He looked enviously at Hana as she broke bread with a tentacle and dipped it into her soup before popping it in her mouth.

Nope, he would use his hands.

And yet… hands were good, too. He admired them again as he flexed his fingers around the cutlery. He’d did enjoy human form, enjoyed the benefits of shifting, had certainly enjoyed his human cock when he lost his virginity, remembering a pleasant first night of being “broken in” last year.

“What’s the itinerary, uncle?” he asked.

“Training, training, and more training.” Shen laughed. “In the bunker. No one can see us there.”

The bunker was a large concrete structure under the house, dug into the mud of the marshes, well hidden from prying eyes. Inside was a small replica of the arena. There were bright lights and state of the art equipment, which they used to view training videos, and to simulate moves with other species in virtual reality. There was even a replica of the ring itself, with a deep hole in the center that they pumped water into, mimicking The Dungeon.

Did it give krakens the upper hand? You bet it did.

Wasn’t that the whole point?

Kai nodded, took another mouthful of food. “This is delicious,” he said to Hana, who glowed a shade of deep blue.

“From tomorrow we’ll be seen out and about,” Shen said. “You’ll frequent clubs, bars, play the field, flirt, but no…” He pumped a finger into his fist and whistled suggestively.

Hana rolled her eyes.

Shen reached out and touched her. “You know I don’t do that these days, honey.”

“I don’t like thinking you used to, that’s all.” She pouted.

“After you, no one, babe.” He smoothed fingers up her tentacle. “Kai proved his virility last year. The word’s got around that you were quite a stud.”

Kai grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, well, I had my fun, but I’m here to work now.” It had sure helped his confidence, all those willing species lining up for his blue cock. “I hope ‘being a stud,’ as you put it, wasn’t the reason I was chosen.”

“Your good looks undoubtedly help, kiddo. There’s no denying the women are going to swoon over you. But no, without talent, you wouldn’t have stood a chance. The committee were clear, what you’ve achieved in your training is little short of miraculous, given the limitations you’ve had to contend with. Never thought I’d see the day, to be honest, Kai.”

Kai felt a blush deepening the blue of his skin. “Well, maybe if Acha hadn’t stuffed up…”

“Acha was always going to stuff up. His ego got too big. One of the reasons we chose you was because we knew you would contain your vanity. Maybe you don’t actually have such a thing.”

“Oh, I have it.” Kai laughed. “I just don’t believe in it.”

“Exactly. So it won’t be at risk of consuming you. You have substance, Kai. Even if you were to lose, you would do so honorably.”

“I won’t lose.”

“No, you won’t.” Shen’s steady gaze held his.

After they finished their meal, they helped Hana to clear up, while she directed them.

“Put that in the fridge. No, not that shelf, the one above it.” She laughed. “Use your tentacles.”

“I know something else I’d like to use them on,” Shen growled.

When the clearing up was done, Shen and Hana left for bed, Shen smirking broadly as he joked with Hannah. “Time for some tentacle play, honey.”

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