Page 4 of The Kraken Games

Marrick rolled his eyes. “What? You want me to paint my arm blue and cover it in slime?”

“Tentacles aren’t slimy.”

“Oh, you know that do you?”

“I’ve done my research.”

“Okay, slippery not slimy. Now! Let’s do this thing.” One of Marrick’s huge green arms wound round her neck, she did the quick twist he’d taught her, twirled, ducked.

And freed herself.

“Much better.” The orc grinned. “It’s speed, dexterity and wiggle that will get you out of a tentacle hold.”

“Is wiggle an official term?”

“Absolutely.”

“I’ve never thought being small would be an advantage, but now…” Luna grinned. “Can we try that again. I think you were being too easy on me.”

“Remember that they’ve got arms too.”

“Yeah, I always thought that was grossly unfair,” Luna grumbled. “Why do they get to use arms, legsandtentacles.”

“Because Kraken set the rules. Besides, minotaur’s use tails and horns, gargoyles slap with wings. That’s the fun of the game.” Marrick smirked. “Monster assets— use what you’ve got and go for it.”

“And you. How did you win?”

“Brute force.”

“It wasn’t just that and you know it.” No one had quite believed it when Marrick had won the games last year. A Naga had got close once, but it was always a given that the Kraken would be victorious. Other species had gone along with it, with good-natured camaraderie. For the most part. Until in recent years, the monsters had decided to get competitive.

Frankly, folks had gotten sick of Kraken egos and the way they showed up in Motham for just a month a year to stake their claim.

And this year it would be different again. Because it was the first time a human had entered the games.

A female human.

Asmallfemale human.

Luna backed off now, dancing on her toes. Except these moves wouldn’t be nearly as easy in the ring because the games were conducted in mud, and no way would she be prancing this easily in all that glug. “Don’t go easy on me this time,” she said.

They moved around each other stealthily, Marrick’s eyes glinting dark red in his big orc head, panther like in his grace despite his size. She got how he’d beaten Acha last year. He had the ability to read situations and as the manager of Club Beast he’d been wrestling for many years.

And of course, Acha had been too cocky by far. More interested in playing to the crowd, which had given Marrick the upper hand.

Suddenly Marrick darted forward, his arm grabbing her around the ribcage so fast it winded her. Luna squirmed.His grip tightened. She let out a strangled little wheeze and immediately he loosened, enough for her to duck out from under his armpit.

“I wasn’t ready for that,” she gasped, rubbing at her breastbone.

“You weren’t watching me closely enough. You have to anticipate the synapses snapping in my brain even before I do.”

“I was thinking…”

“No room for thinking, moon girl. Just feel. Then act.”

Luna set her jaw, pushed back her short straight blonde hair. It had been long, almost to her waist, but that had proved an impediment when she started to fight at the club. Folks could pull it, even when she tied it back, and it got all sweaty and hot on the back of her neck. So off it came. She’d looked at her golden tresses lying on the floor of the Harpy’s salon, and realized it was the end of an era. Luna Storm was all grown up now.

But then, come to think of it, had she ever really been a child? Hadn’t that been stolen from her?

---