Page 62 of The Kraken Games

What the fuck?

The beak appeared again, dark gray and white underneath. Right up close to the bank. Was it adolphin?

How weird, dolphins were never seen in the marshes.

It snapped its beak in several quick volleys, then spoke in a high-pitched voice. “I’m Torqua. Kai’s friend and we need to have a chat.” Luna’s eyes widened. “I don’t shift. And these marsh grasses are too freakin’ hard to swim in. Want to get on my back? We’ll go a bit deeper.”

“Oh um—yeah, okay.”

Without hesitating, not even removing her clothes, Luna climbed onto the dolphin’s back.

“Hold onto my flippers.”

“Okay.” Well, this had to be a first.

Keeping her feet high to avoid them tangling in the marsh grasses, she marveled at how a dolphin had even managed to push through all this weed. All she could think was that this was Kai’s friend. This was her chance to get a message to him.

Finally in the deeper water of the river, he said cheerily, “Dropping you,” then immediately rolled and dumped her in the water.

“Is Kai okay?” she gasped as she surfaced.

“Not really. He’s been placed in solitary by the elders.”

Luna groaned. “Oh my gods, it’s all my fault.”

The dolphin stared at her solemnly. “He wants to know if you sold photos of him to the media.”

“No. No. NO!” she moaned, her voice echoing strangely through the misty night air. “My phone was stolen by a selkie. He broke my code, and must have got the pictures then sold them to the Tween Council of Towns.” She almost choked on her words. “Does Kai think it was me?”

“Yes—and no. He’s very confused, angry. Upset. The elders are furious with him for his, um—liaisonwith you, and the photos—obviously.”

She covered her mouth to hide a sob. “Where is he?”

“In the Cave of Contrition, the deepest cave in the complex. They will not let him return to Thedaka until his shame is purged.”

“I’m so, so sorry,” she whispered hoarsely.

“He told me about your family. You brother being taken by a kraken. Is that the honest to goddess truth?” The dolphin’s face took on an unmistakable don’t-mess-with-me look. “You’d better not hurt my friend. He’s special to me, and I warn you, these flippers can deliver a serious thump.”

She looked at him, alarmed, but detected a dimple hovering close to his beak. She could understand why Kai liked this guy.

“Cross my heart it’s the truth. You have to believe me, Torqua, please. I only wanted to win the games to force the kraken to talk to me, and now it’s all gone horribly wrong. I doubt they’ll agree to it now. They’d probably slit my throat first.”

Torqua sighed, then grinned. “We dolphins tend to look on the bright side. I’m sure there’s a solution.”

Luna wished she could believe him. They remained silent, Luna treading water as Torqua swam around her so swiftly she kept having to swivel to look at him. Did he ever slow down, she wondered?

Suddenly he stopped slap bang in front of her. “Kai has feelings for you Luna.”

Luna’s eyes flew wide. “He told you that?”

“Not in so many words, but… I’ve known him since we were kids, and he’s never gone this soft over a girl. Do you reciprocate?”

Luna swallowed a moan. “I—I don’t know what that means. I just want to see him to apologize. Explain.”

Liar. You miss him so much it’s like a part of you has been torn away.

As if reading her thoughts, the dolphin eyed her shrewdly. “You care about him, don’t you?”

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