Page 101 of The Kraken Games

“Yeah, fucking Wyatt. Grayson Lightfoot is onto it though,” The best gargoyle crime fighter in Motham had got to the bottom of it and Wyatt was facing charges for aiding and abetting the Council of Towns.

“Ah, that’s cool. Grayson will get him convicted and then hopefully he’ll go to prison for a long time and leave me alone.”

“To get on with courting Noah.” Luna nudged her friend

“Shush, you.” Harper nudged her back.

“Have you asked him out yet?”

“No, of course not.”

They both laughed. “Promise me, if all this does work out with me and Kai, you will ask him on a date.”

“Damn, that means I have to. Because you two will definitely stay together. Forever.”

“Hmmm. I guess we have a few obstacles to overcome first.”

Suddenly, she saw movement way off past the jetty. A flash of blue.

Luna craned her neck. Yes, there it was again. A blue tentacle, powering through the water. Then another. And another. At the end of the jetty, Kai, beautiful and resplendent inhalf shift, climbed out and jogged towars them. Folks called out to him, and he waved arms and tentacles in cheery greeting.

Luna jumped to her feet. Sat down again. Inside she was fizzing and popping, her heart pumping fit to burst, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to let it out.

“What are you waiting for?” Harper said, looking at her perplexed.

“I, um—” Luna stood up again.

Harper laughed and gave her a little push toward the jetty.

“Don’t just stay here with me, Go to him.”

Luna took a few steps, hesitated, then turned and ran back, hugging her friend tight. “Love you, Harps. Sorry I’ve never said that before, but I do, I love you so much.”

“Love you too, you crazy human. Now go.”

She tried to walk, tried to look like she was cool with this whole falling in love thing. And then she remembered Waldo’s words,no more running away. Surely that must mean running toward love, then? Her heart pounding, Luna broke into a jog, and then a sprint and in seconds she was flying down the quay with the wind under her heels. Toward her guy. And he was running toward her. And in moments she was wrapped in the circle of his love, all eight limbs of it, and his soft lips were on her skin, his whispered words in her ears. “Everything’s sorted.”

“Really?”

“Yes. We have their blessing, Luna.” He kissed her fervently. “But even if we hadn’t, I would be with you.” Another kiss. “Because wherever you are is the only place I want to be. If you want gills, you will get them, and if you want to live in Thedaka you can, or I will live here, or we can live between the two places… or hey, even in Merinda with Tom if you want.”

“Wait—wait.” She laughed breathlessly. “This is too much to take in all at once.”

He stopped, pulled back, fear in his beautiful dark eyes. “Are you going to turn me down?”

“No. No, I love you Kai, so much.” She slapped a hand over her mouth, staring at him wide-eyed with shock. “Oh god, those words sound so weird.”

Kai had turned a paler shade of blue.

“I mean,wonderfulweird,” she gulped out quickly. “I’ve never said them before. Out loud to anyone. Never thought I’d feel them. Oh Kai, it’s beautiful and scary, and I just want to be with you. Wherever. However. Always.”

“Me too, babe. It was only you. From the moment I set eyes on you it was only you.”

She flung her arms around him, and he kissed her, long and sweet.

A tap on the shoulder made them jump apart. A minotaur was grinning, holding out a notebook. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need an autograph. Both of you, please.”

They signed willingly, but then as a couple of goblins and a gorgon approached, Kai said, “We need to go somewhere less public. I’ve got so much to tell you.”

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