Page 71 of The Kraken Games

“I did take photos, yes, but I…”

“Why did you do that?” Shen asked, again more gently. “Remember, you are under oath to tell the truth, Luna.”

“Yes, sir. I—I wanted to study Kai’s body… his tentacles… to share my findings with my trainer so I could… fight him better. But I didn’t show them. Not to my trainer, or to anyone. A selkie stole my phone. Leaked the photos to the media for money.”

“We are awaiting proof of that. Motham Security are investigating what happened,” Shen said.

“I left it on his water taxi. They can trace the time and location of the leaks back to his boat. I wasn’t there when it happened.” She glanced at Kai. “I have a witness?—”

Razad grunted. “Yes, we are aware of how you seduced my grandson on several occasions, held him in some kind of thrall. Was it a drug? A potion? Did you spike his drink?”

“No, no, I would never…” She looked so helpless, so forlorn, her slender body visibly shaking. Kai could stand it no longer. He jumped up. “Sir, she did not seduce me. It wasIwho soughtherout.”

His grandfather stared him down. “We will hear from you later.”

“No sir. Let me speak. I saw her even before I left land to compete, the very day in fact that you told me I was The Chosen. She was swimming near the caves. and I was compelled to seek her out again. On the night of the opening event, I asked her to have a drink with me.”

“When she would have spiked your drink.”

“I bought the drinks; she did not touch mine.”

Razad let out a bitter laugh. “Next, you’ll tell me you agreed to let her photograph you. In that sordid hotel room.”

“No sir, I did not agree to be photographed. But I was there of my own volition.”

Razad waved his staff, staring him down fiercely. “Enough, boy. Do not muddy things with your impetuous words.”

Kai hesitated. It could go against Luna if he kept speaking out of turn. But he refused to sit; he remained upright, staring his grandfather down out of defiant eyes.

Razad hammered his staff and stormed back to his rock in a swirl of sand. “We will adjourn to discuss your account of events, human, and reach a conclusion.”

“Please,” Luna begged, “just tell me what happened to Tomas. What happened to my brother? I beg of you—all I’ve ever wanted was to know the truth.”

Her distress registered in Kai’s hearts, ripping him apart. How dare his grandfather act as if Luna had done something wrong, when it was his own people that had taken everything fromher.

He gritted his teeth, pain swirling through his old injuries.

Injuries inflicted by humans, yes, but being perpetuated now by kraken kind.

CHAPTER 23

“Take to the Rock of truth, Kai,” Razad barked once the women had left.

Kai swam to the Rock. Oh yeah, he would demand the truth now.

Razad turned on him bitterly, his voice full of anger. “What crazy insanity has gotten into you? By letting her win you have brought shame to kraken kind. Not only that, but you have given the valley humans a huge advantage by showing your weaknesses. Do you know what danger you have put us in, boy?”

Kai returned his grandfather’s gaze, his own eyes sparking. And then he spread his tentacles around him, in the warrior pose. There was no mistaking it. Even Razad blanched.

“I let Luna win because she told the truth. A truth that she needs answers to. ThatIneed answers to. You have hidden a secret from myself and the citizens of Thedaka for fifteen years, sir. We have the right to know.”

His words were met with silence. Kai looked around the elders, and, meeting his father’s gaze, Kai sensed that he was proud of him. “Did our kraken leaders break the Treaty that was meant to stop violent acts? Acts like the one I bear proof of everysingle day?” He held up a scarred tentacle. “Noble ones, you owe it to our people, and to Luna, to tell the truth.”

As he spoke, a uniformed kraken, one of their Polika, entered and proceedings paused.

“We have the reports back from Tower Security, sir.” He addressed Razad.

“And?”

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