Page 57 of The Kraken Games

Kai stared at his grandfather’s livid face. Hell, could they tell from his actions in the ring that he’d slept with Luna? No way. They were making assumptions; he needed to bluff his way through this.

“There are things I learned from her that have brought the past into question, sir.”

“Oh yes.” Razad laughed bitterly, slamming his staff onto the cave floor. “You sure learned things. Things that clouded your judgment.”

“I disagree, sir.”

“Do you indeed? Then we will have to provide you with the evidence.”

Razad gestured to another elder, who brought forward a computer. He laid it on the rock and turned it to face Kai.

Holy. Fuck. Kai felt his face turning vivid blue. Picture after picture scrolled over the screen; of him sprawled on that fucking dragon head bead, just a sheet over his privates, his scarred tentacles clearly visible.

He felt like throwing up.

“She played you, you naïve young fool. You let your cock rule your head. And now she’s sold these shots to humans to prove kraken are a species with low morals and weak, damaged bodies.”

“It wasn’t… I…” The words felt like they were burning his throat. He cast a look around the assembled male kraken. Heads bowed, none of them looking at him. But worst of all was his father’s face, tight and pale. So deeply disappointed in his only son.

Shame washed over Kai.

Oh, gods of the deep, He knew this feeling. Of never measuring up, of failing. His childhood had been all about that. His whole life he’d fought to become strong, to be a kraken who could fight… and win. And he’d been on the verge of success. His people had trusted him to bring the games out of the mire, and instead he’d landed them in a ton more shit.

He’d blown it spectacularly.

But worse, worse even than all that was the bitter realization that Luna had deceived him. She’d reeled him in like a prize fish on the end of her line. Of course she was a spy. Why else would she have taken those photos? And displayed them to the world, with his maimed tentacles the star of the fucking show. Kai ground his teeth together until it felt like his jaw would break. That whole sob story of her childhood had been a lie, every last word of it. Razad was right, his cock had ruled his head. And worse, fool that he was, he’d thought it was his heart.

She was dead to him now.

“You will spend a week in the Cave of Contrition,” Razad growled. “In darkness. Contemplating how your behavior has laid kraken kind open to human manipulation. And you will do penance for a year thereafter. You will work on the outskirts of Thedaka to clean up the plastic rubbish their low-life species are responsible for dumping.”

Kai said nothing, He knew what came next. He waited, head bowed, body tensed for the first blow. The staff fell on his shoulders again and again. But he did not flinch, not once. He took his punishment in silence.

With every strike, he vowed that one day he would make it up to his people.

And as for her… Luna fucking Storm.

He would take his two hearts—the ones that yearned to love and be loved—and he’d turn them into cold hard stone.

Because if she could hate enough to do this to him, then so could he.

CHAPTER 18

Luna dashed into Sweet Clams, disheveled and wild-eyed.

She’d not slept after Kai left, her heart heavy with some dread she couldn’t place. And with missing him. Something she didn’t want to feel. She’d never missed anyone other than her family.

But gods! She missed him. Wanting to be held in his embrace all night, to find him there in her bed the next morning, his two hearts beating against her one, his tentacles exploring her needy body.

It felt like she was being pulled apart, simply for daring to feel. It hurt like the scars on Kai’s body must, even though there were no marks on hers.This. This was why she didn’t want… didn’t need… love…

Don’t even think that word.

Harper, putting roll mops together at the counter, cocked her head. “Here’s the champ! Oh—” She stopped abruptly, frowning at Luna’s expression. “What’s up, hon?”

“Have you seen Wyatt this morning?”

“No, thank the goddess.”

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