Page 65 of The Kraken Games

“That’s what Kai first said when I told him.”

Hana’s eyes widened. “Kai knows about this?”

“Yes, that is why he let me win. Because he realized how desperately I needed to speak to your people.”

“So that is why he pushed you up to the surface, gave away the victory?”

Luna nodded. “But I’m willing to trade my win. For a chance to speak to your elders.”

“That can’t happen, Luna. I’m sorry, they will never agree to meet with a human.”

“Please. Hana, I need to find out what happened to Tomas. If… if they killed him too.”

Hana’s lips tightened. “We would never kill an innocent child. Never, you hear me? Not of any species.”

“You killed my innocent parents.”

“That was…” she hesitated, “most likely a mistake.”

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Then youdoknow something.”

“No, I—look, Luna, I was a kid myself fifteen years ago. Did something unfortunate happen? Maybe, but I heard only of a pirate ship that got too close to our boundary. Nothing about drownings… You must have got something wrong—if not the species, the dates.”

Luna wrinkled her face in frustration. “I’ve recorded the passing of every single season since then. It was fifteen years ago. The year I came to live in the marshes was the fifth year of the Kraken Games, and they’ve been running for twenty years, right?” Hana inclined her head. “I recall the horror of seeing a kraken again on land. At first, I thought they’d come for me too. I hid away for several years during the season, until I was old enough to face up to what happened.”

“I’m sorry we imparted such fear in you,” Hana said softly. “Kraken kind are not murderers, Luna. We are creatures of the deep who must protect what is ours from human invaders. We have suffered many losses at human hands. Our own Kai was hurt by human bombs.”

Luna hung her head. “He told me, but… my people,myhuman clan—they would never have… I know they wouldn’t.”

“Well, you say that, but you saw his scars. And then you photographed and spread his injuries for all the world to see. That has been a double wounding from humans for Kai.”

Luna choked down her tears. “I swear to the goddess I did not spread those photos.”

“But you took the shots.”

“Yes. I took them so I could show them to my trainer, so we could plan for the fight. But I never showed him. When it came to it I just couldn’t… and I never leaked them to the media.”

“Then who did?”

Luna explained about losing her phone, about Wyatt’s suspicious behavior. When she’d finished, Hana pushed her hair away from her face, huffing a sigh. “Luna, this all sounds so crazy. Everything points to you using Kai for your own ends.”

“No!” Luna hung her head, biting her lip. “Why would I even be here if that was the case.” She hated that this beautiful woman thought she’d stoop so low, that this would be the account Kai heard. “I admit, yes…” She palmed her forehead in frustration. “I did claim the win that was legitimately Kai’s. But only because winning the games seemed like my only way to bargain with your people. Please, you must help me. I need to know what happened to Tomas or I’ll never find peace. At least let me explain to your leaders that I did not sell those photos to humans, that I did not mean to hurt Kai in all of this.” She gulped helplessly. “Please. You really are my last chance…”

Hana’s gaze stayed fixed on her. “Luna, this is a hard ask. Kraken and humans… there is no love lost between us.”

“I know, I know, Hana, but this goes beyond that.”

“Even if I can get Shen to listen, there are technical problems. The elders won’t agree to meet with you on land. And if you came to them, you would need special equipment to breathe, to talk.”

“But surely—humans lived among your people once?”

Hana gave a sad smile. “We’re talking centuries ago. Back then it was easier to adapt for all species, even humans. But the magic has weakened, and it would be impossible for you to spend any length of time under the sea with kraken kind.”

To Luna’s horror, a great big sob escaped her at those words. All hope was being robbed from her. And once again, having shed not a tear for years, she found herself weeping uncontrollably, unable to hold back the tide of sadness.

“I, oh—I…” she gulped out, her shoulders heaving as she tried to stem the tears with her fists.

“Oh goddess, child.” Hana uncrossed her legs and stood up abruptly. “You’re a mess.”

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