Page 66 of The Kraken Games

“Please… don’t go,” Luna hiccupped, staring up at her out of blurry eyes. Her final chance to be heard, and to see Kai again, to tell him she was sorry, was about to walk away.

The thought of losing all of that was unbearable.

“I’m not leaving.” Hana held out her hand, and through the swirl of her tears, Luna saw the kraken smiling gently down at her. “I’m going to take you inside, find you a box of tissues, and then we’re going to talk to Shen.”

CHAPTER 21

Weakness from lack of food made Kai wonder what was real and what was a dream.

How long had it been now, in here—two days, three? What had happened when Torqua went to find Luna? Why had he heard nothing? He’d tried to stay strong, vigorously exercising in the dark water until he was too exhausted to move. Then he’d tried to meditate, but it was no good—all roads led back to Luna. And now, laying on the bottom of the cave, hunger gave way to hallucinations,

He felt her mouth on his, her little hands smoothing over his tentacles.

Pain mingled with pleasure, hate with love. In the end he just lay there, muttering her name like a crazed being.

And then his eyes blinked from a sudden onslaught of light.

“Torqua?” he queried. Lifting himself up on two tentacles, he peered into the murky waters.

“Kerrick, kerrick. Yeah, it’s me. And I’ve brought you food. Your mom’s crab and seaweed fritters. She’s worried sick about you.”

Kai let out a sigh, salivating at the savory scent as Torqua unpacked a small package. His mom had always soothed himwith food during his arduous rehabilitation, and these fritters were his favorite. After several days with no sustenance, he fell on them ravenously.

“Tell her I’m better for these. And I’m doing okay.” His mouth full, he asked, “Torqua, did you… did you get to talk to Luna?”

“I did.” Torqua swam around in fast circles, his tail swishing. The Anglerfish were having trouble keeping up with him.

Gods, that dolphin’s ADHD was annoying sometimes. “Yeah… and?”

“She told me she left her phone on a boat, that the selkie who gave her a lift after the games tampered with it. She promised it wasn’t her doing.”

Kai let out a huge sigh of relief. “Yeah, she mentioned she’d probably left it on the selkie’s boat.”

“But wait. The plot thickens. Shen was locked in talks with the elders all yesterday.”

“Shen has returned to Thedaka?”

“Oooh, yeah.”

That meant the arena had been sunk under the sea for another year, the revelries over. And the tentacle cup? Had Luna given up her prize, he wondered?

“Is he still angry with me?” he asked.

“No. Once Luna spoke to Hana, that all changed.”

“Hana!”

“I decided the situation needed a woman’s touch, so I arranged for Luna to talk to Hana. Hana got into Shen’s ear and his whole attitude changed. He immediately packed up and they came home to Thedaka. Told you I’d sort it. Sorry, took a few days.”

“Fuck, you’re amazing.”

Torqua chuckled. “Just needed a little dolphin charm and persuasion.” Kai watched with amusement as his friend preenedhimself with a flipper. “I’m considering a career as a diplomat, actually.” He grinned. “Seriously though, your little human has got the elders in a tizz. From what I’ve gleaned, it seems theymayinvite her to attend a hearing.”

Kai gaped. “What?! Where?”

“She’ll be brought to the High Court Cave, here.”

The High Court Cave was a huge domed complex above Kai’s prison cell.

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