Page 6 of The Kraken Games

Marrick’s thick brows rose. “Really.”

“Yeah, he actually came close, stared at me.” She felt a little shiver transcend her spine at the memory of his luminous eyes on her.

“If a Kraken is that close to shore, it means they are readying themselves. Was there any other activity?”

“Not that I saw. I was looking for clams for supper. But he…” She couldn’t explain the feeling she had seeing him. “He was partially in human form, which was... interesting I guess.” More than interesting if she was honest. His features had been arresting. Dark almond shaped uptilted eyes, full lips, a fine bone structure with broad high cheekbones. His chest had clearly been human, with defined pecs and an impressive six pack and a shade of luminous blue, his limbs a mix of tentacles and human legs and arms. In half-shift.

She couldn’t explain the tingle of excitement that ran through her. As though here was her destiny right in front of her. Afterward at home, cooking up her marinara pasta, she couldn’t get him out of her head.

And he’d swum toward her. As if she fascinated him too.

They’d stared at each other for a long moment, even through her mask she’d felt his dark gaze boring right into her. And then she’d accidentally exhaled which meant there was no breath left in her lungs. She’d swum swiftly up to the surface. But the contact had affected her, disturbed her in ways she didn’t understand.

But no way was she telling Marrick any of that.

“When krakens come to the caves, they are in readiness. They may be auditioning candidates at present,” Marrick mused.

Their food arrived, and Luna dug into her noodles. Her heart raced a little thinking that the kraken she’d seen might be her rival.

The idea of wrestling his muscled body made her mouth water.

She told herself it was the fragrant noodles in front of her.

It was late by the time Luna got home. An afternoon spent on the forklift in her job at the docks after her morning of training meant she was wiped. She’d moored her boat, walked wearily up the plank path above the marshes to her little tumble-down shack, the one she’d lived in since she was eight years old close to the river mouth.

It wasn’t much of a home, but it suited her needs, which weren’t many. She swam, caught fish for supper, went out in her little wooden dingy. Made a few odd marsh critter friends and using her wits, had eventually landed herself a job at the warehouses near the docks.

She’d lied, told them she was elf. A fully grown elf. She was thirteen years old.

“Large for an elf, aren’t you.” The boss, a big orc had grunted.

“My clan are on the taller side, yes.”

She’d even made herself pointed ear extensions out of papier mâché and painted them to match her skin, but he’d barely glanced at her ears.

“We need a cleaner. You’ll do,” the orc had grunted.

So, she’d worked hours and hours a week, and finally got promoted to packing when she was big enough, and from there to operating the forklifts.

She was good at the controls, her reflexes and co-ordination soon made her the fastest packer on the floor. After a while she didn’t bother with the fake ears. Nobody seemed to care what species she was as long as she got the job done.

And all the while she bided her time. Each year she watched the Kraken Games that took place in the waters off Motham bay,taking notes, practicing her own moves in the cracked mirror in her bedroom.

It was at the games that she’d met Marrick, all of three years ago.

When she’d gone to his change room out the back of the arena, he’d opened the door, given her a once over and snorted out of big green nostrils.

“What’s a human doing here?”

“I’m an elf,” she responded crossly.

“Pull the other one. It’s green.” But he’d grinned and she had to smirk back. She liked this orc already.

“I want to take part in the games one day,” she told him. “You’re good, I’ve watched you, can you train me?”

He’d guffawed loudly. But he’d given her Club Beasts details. “Come to a class see what you think of wrestling. No promises though. What’s your name, little human?”

“Luna.”

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