Page 12 of The Kraken Games

“Too much information,” Kai responded, then went to his room and unpacked his bags. He hadn’t brought much. Just his medals to remind him of the junior games, all his first and second places. A photo of his team. His training gear, the obligatory pairs of shorts in fine seagrass. Other than those, he would be bare limbed, as were all combatants, except for the gelfin who’d competed last year. She’d worn a singlet, for obvious reasons. She’d gotten swept into The Dungeon in the first five minutes, but full marks for trying.

Maybe one day there would be a female kraken competitor, but it wouldn’t happen anytime soon, due to the fear that their reproductive organs might be compromised. Mating and bearing younglings was sacrosanct to kraken, revered above all else. Women stayed home and reared their young. Males got out there and did the warrior thing. That wasn’t about to change. Not under Razad’s rule.

As for finding a mate… back home in Thedaka, there were several kraken females making eyes at him, who would be willing to mate with him, especially if—correction,when—he was victorious. None that he was crazily attracted to, though.

When he’d unpacked, Kai sauntered over to the French doors that opened onto the balcony. Outside, he stood on the deck listening to the lapping water of the canal against Shen’s private jetty. Further away, the smell of the sea beckoned him, but he also registered less familiar scents—the marsh grasses and pungent herbs, the hint of the smelting works and factories over in East Motham, the oily smell of industry making his nose wrinkle.

Sweet and sour, mixing. A world he would frequent just once a year for a month, if he was victorious. Its bustle and teemingland-based life fascinated him. And beyond the city of Motham lay the human lands, and krakens’ stormy, confused relationship with humankind.

Once upon a time, many eons ago, kraken had interacted with humans. Kai guessed they had mated. How else would they be able to shift? Who knew—it went so far back there were no records. Just a few ancient songs and poems, and some scratched drawings on cave walls.

Humans. Gah. He rolled his shoulders, curled his toes, his fingers, getting more used to them. His thoughts strayed once again to the brief sighting of the human. Why had she affected him, he wondered, recalling the way his hearts had pounded at the sight of her.

And the wake-up call in his mating arm, that unmistakable throb deep in his groin.

Kai’s gaze swept the horizon. Somewhere in this teeming city she was out there. Maybe not so very far away.

His hearts beat even faster now, a sharp double staccato in his chest. And once again, the urge to get out there, to hunt for her, was overpowering.

As he fell asleep in a land-based bed, his last thought was of her, the mystery girl.

CHAPTER 4

“He arrived last night,” Marrick said as soon as Luna walked into Club Beast the next morning.

“Who?” She knew who.

“Your rival for the title.”

She flung off her rucksack and took out her water bottle and towel before answering. “Really?” She tried to sound totally casual. “And?”

“It’s not Acha.”

“Uh-huh.” Her pulse sped up. “Is it someone you know?”

“Nah. May have been one of the juniors who were here observing last year, but you know, no one paid much attention to them.” He smirked. “Except the women.”

Luna merely grunted as she dusted her hands with powder.

He grinned, punched her arm playfully. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice them. I’d have thought those kraken boys would have been part of your research.”

He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Luna knew what he was getting at, but it was over a year ago that she’d taken a personal vow of celibacy. Sex took energy. Energy she needed to channel into her training.

Sure, she was curious about sex with a kraken. Rumor was that behind closed doors Acha had let those tentacles loose and had done all sorts of kinky things… but… too bad. She would be fighting one, not fucking them.

“I was too busy watching the action in the ring to have any action between the sheets.” She smirked. “Let’s get started.”

After half an hour of wrestling, Luna knew she was doing okay.

“Better, much better.” Marrick nodded approvingly as three times in a row she easily slid out from under his locked arm. “But make sure you jump away quicker. Remember, if my arm was a tentacle I’d have the power to reel you back in.”

She pursed her lips, nodded.

“Ireallyneed to practice my footwork in the mud soon.”

“I’m happy to wrestle you in the mud, but further afield. We can’t afford to be spotted, not if you want to be a surprise entrant.”

“That would be great. Maybe this weekend, we’ll find a quiet spot.”

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