Page 62 of Kringle and the Kraken

Kori gasped. “Oh no he didn’t.”

Tai nudged his arm. “Oh yes he did.”

Kris took another step forward, and Delmar paled. “You’re right. I’m human. And Kori and Tai are kappas, and Levi is a kraken.”

The second the wordkrakenpassed his lips, a wave of magic washed over me like the ley line needed to hear Kris identify our species out loud or something, and the power in my core felt like it amplified.

It was my turn to jump into the fray. “But you, Delmar, are nothing but a coward. So why don’t you just run and hide, and we’ll take it from here.”

Kris stood by my side, and behind us, Kori and Tai had partially shifted, their webbed hands a scaly yellow-green with sharp claws at the tips. My tentacles snaked out from under my jacket.

Delmar’s eyes went wide. “I will not be threatened! I’m mayor of this town, not you.” His angry gaze held mine. “I run this town, not you. I will not be undermined. I will not be forced out!”

“You are also no longer fit to lead this town if you insist on putting its people in danger. The way I see it, you have two choices.” I stepped forward, glaring at the soon-to-be formermayor. “One, you can step down willingly and stay in town, or two, you can step down and leave. Either way, your time as mayor has come to an end.”

“You can’t do that! You have no right.”

“Actually, I think you’ll find he does.” Lawrence Tidewell pushed between Kori and his brother, stopping in front of the mayor. “Levi Shoal is, as you already know, a descendent of Lochland Shoal, who is the son of Levan Shoal, the last kraken leader of Lifeboat, who died under mysterious circumstances one hundred twenty-seven years ago, coincidentally not long before the Delmar family took over the town’s leadership. The Shoal family was chosen by the ley line magic over a millennia ago to lead the haven town here. Leading Lifeboat is Levi’s birthright.” I got the feeling he was saying all this, not because Delmar and I didn’t already know it, but so the rest of the people standing behind us on the street could hear it.

“Looks like you’re the one who has no right to the title,” Kris said, giving Tidewell a tight smile and nod.

“My mate is right. So pick an option. We have things to do.”

Delmar’s beady eyes surveyed us and the small crowd of other sea monsters that had gathered at our backs and pushed off the wall, turning quickly to hustle down the street toward his house.

“Total coward,” Kori said to his retreating back, while a murmur ran through the small crowd.

“Are you going to fix the magic?” Sue asked, stepping forward in the crowd and revealing her pale blue naiad’s skin and subtle scales to Kris.

“We’re going to try,” I said, giving everyone a tentative smile.

“We’re going to do more than try.” Kris grabbed my hand and twined our fingers together. “And I have an idea how we’re going to do it.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

KRIS

“Uh,thank you all for coming. I apologize for the short notice, but it’s important.”

It had taken less than an hour for my whole family to show up at my parents’ when I’d called an emergency meeting in the Kringle group chat. Every available seat was taken, and every single person was looking at Levi and me as we stood in front of my parents’ garland-draped fireplace.

“Oh my god, Kris! Are you about to tell us you and Levi are engaged?” Kimmy squealed with delight and clapped her hands around her baby bump, Karla and Kennedy joining in her seated happy dance.

“Stop that. No.” I glanced at Levi, his golden amber eyes sparkling with amusement. “I mean, maybe. One day. But no. That’s definitely not why we asked you guys to come here.”

“Then what is it, honey? I’ll admit, I’m a little worried. I heard through the grapevine that you were involved in some sort of public kerfuffle with Mayor Delmar.”

“What? Mom, you didn’t tell us that.” Keith looked pissed that he hadn’t heard the same gossip, and a second later, everyone started talking at once, trying to pump my mom for information.

“Enough.” My dad’s voice cut through the din. “How about we stop speculating and let Kris and Levi tell us what they need to tell us.”

My siblings, their partners, and all their assembled children fell silent.

“Sorry, Kris,” Kevin mumbled.

With every eye fixed on us again, my palms started to sweat. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea, but then Levi shifted next to me, and I knew deep down in my soul that the only way to fix the magic the Delmar family had broken was to return the balance to Lifeboat and the only way to do that was to reveal the truth of what our town was.

“I need you guys to keep an open mind.” Every head bobbed, but surprisingly no one spoke. “I know you guys don’t really get my fascination with history and nautical folklore, but I need you to indulge me for a second.”

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