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 him with 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 preened himself 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 they may invite 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.

Kai scratched his head with a tentacle. “But the caves are underwater. How will she be able to… breathe or talk for that length of time.”

“A little fishy told me they’ve unlocked the vaults, and there’s equipment still held there from way back. Luckily it still functions… It’s antiquated, but Luna will be able to breathe with it, speak through it, or so they reckon.”

“And the selkie? Have they got proof he leaked the shots?”

Kai knew Razad and the elders would demand more than hearsay. They’d need hard proof.

“Not yet. but Grayson, the gargoyle boss at Tower Security, is investigating. That selkie’s got a record of other felons, according to Grayson. Anyway, gotta go, they’re on their way to release you. Looks like you’ll get to tell your side of the story.”

Kai winced. He wasn’t relishing that prospect. His grandfather was merciless when angry, as he’d already found out. But despite that, his hearts filled with joy. Luna had not leaked the photos. She had not betrayed him.

Maybe it was sheer madness from being in isolation, but the possibility that she shared even a grain of what he felt for her was something he needed to hold onto. The hope that he could hold her, make love to her, at least one more time—please gods, just once more.

Squaring his shoulders now, Kai turned to face the cave entrance as he heard the guards approaching.

Luna had spent all afternoon having her underwater device fitted and tested in the bunker under Shen’s house. She’d been amazed at the sophisticated inner sanctum where he trained kraken competitors. No wonder kraken had such an advantage in the games!

Afterward, having received her instructions for tomorrow, she was too excited, and too anxious to go home. So, she waited until closing time at Sweet Clams, moored her boat on the quay, grabbed the box with the helmet in it and went to show Harper.

After all, Harper knew most of the story, minus the steamier details. They’d talked several times these past few days, and Harper had been incredibly supportive. And Luna had found out what it meant to ask for help. A new experience for her.

Harper was cleaning the counter when Luna knocked softly on the window. Her friend startled, then hurried to unlock the café door.

“Thank the goddess it’s you. I’m always worried on Friday nights it will be Wyatt.”

“Is that piece of shit still bothering you?”

“Sometimes. He gets wasted at the tavern then comes and makes a fuss, singing, telling me he loves me. All that shit. Less so of late. I think he might have accepted I’ll never take him back. You hungry?”

Luna shook her head. “No, I just came to show you something.” They sat down facing each other, and Luna plonked the box on the table between them.

“What’s in there?” Harper asked, eyeing it curiously.

Luna took the top off with a flourish. “Ta-dah. This is the contraption that will allow me to spend time underwater talking to the kraken elders.”

Harper grimaced. “It’s really old-fashioned. Can’t they just give you a modern diving mask?”

“Apparently not, See, there’s no oxygen tank. This filter vaporizes the water into oxygen that I can breathe. There’s also a device that translates kraken to human for my ears, and my words to kraken for theirs, which they’ll fit me with when I’m down there. Not all kraken can speak human, according to Shen. Many have never even been on land. And yeah, it’s really old, powered by some ancient system no one quite understands, not even the elders. Still works, though.”

“Is it heavy?”

“Yeah, but not as bad as it looks.” She pulled it over her head, and Harper laughed as she adjusted it. “Do I look pretty?”

Harper giggled. “Kai won’t be able to resist you in that.”

Luna glared at her friend through the glass. She looked kind of green and distorted. She hoped it would be easier to see underwater. Otherwise, the kraken would all just be blobs, and she wouldn’t even know which one was Kai. She pulled the thing off and smoothed her hair. “There’s nothing to resist, Kai and I aren’t an item.”

Harper’s eyebrows waggled. “Wait a sec—do I see Luna Storm’s nose growing?” She smirked as Luna glared harder, feeling her cheeks pinking. Harper at least had the grace not to keep teasing. “So, when you meet them, what are you going to say?”

Luna started to pack the helmet back into its box. “The truth.” Just as she’d told it to Kai and then Hana and Shen two days ago. Judging by the looks Shen and Hana had exchanged, she was certain they both had some knowledge of what had happened.

After they’d spoken, Shen had gone to contact the elders. While they waited for him to return, Luna had begun chewing her nails anxiously. Hana had stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. Luna had looked at the soft blue of Hana’s skin, recalling the touch of another blue hand and her heart had clenched painfully.

And then, finally, Shen had entered the room and given a curt nod. “They have agreed to meet you.”

Luna had jumped up. “Oh goddess, thank you. Thank you. When? How?”

“You will be escorted to the sacred caves in a couple of days. There, you will give your account. Kai will give his. The elders will deliberate and reach a finding.”

“It sounds like I’m being tried for a crime.”

“No, but there are questions you will need to answer before the elders will divulge anything more.”

Luna’s hand had flown to her mouth, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and relief. She’d get to tell her story. And she’d get to see Kai again. Be able to explain about the photo debacle. Tell him that she’d never, ever maliciously hurt him.

Now, as she closed the box, her mind was whirring. What would happen after that? Would Kai forgive her? Would they find some way to move on? But move on where? How? Was she hoping they’d date?

Oh, don’t be ridiculous. You’ve never wanted to date anyone, let alone a creature of the deep.

He would forever be unavailable. This stupid old diver’s helmet was proof of that. They wouldn’t even be able to kiss, would they? No wonder she was letting herself get a crush on him. Kai was safe to fantasize about because nothing could ever come of it. Perfect for someone with a terrible fear of intimacy.

“Earth to Luna.” Harper’s green eyes were curious. “What are you thinking?”

Luna figured telling half the truth wasn’t a lie. “Even when I was almost sure Tomas was dead, I never gave up hoping, you know that, Harps. But now I don’t know how I’ll feel if I find out he’s alive. I’m scared either way. Is that crazy?”

“No babe, not crazy at all. This is huge. The culmination of everything you’ve worked toward your whole life.”

Luna slammed the box shut. Finding out what had happened to Tomas, that would be enough. No more yearning for anything else. “I guess tomorrow I’ll know.”

Harper walked her to the door, and they hugged.

Luna felt her eyes welling. Damn annoying things, tears. “Thank you, thank you. You have been the best friend ever. You and Marrick and Noah, all of you in different ways have helped me so much. I don’t feel like I… deserve any of this.”

“Hey babe, where’s this self-doubt coming from?” Harper hugged her tightly.

“It’s always been there, I’ve just chosen to hide it, and now… I guess I can’t anymore,” Luna admitted as she released her friend.

“Well, I think it’s about time.”

As Harper opened the door, a big burly guy was getting kicked out of the bar across the other side of the quay. Harper gave her a horrified look. “Oh shit, it’s Wyatt. I can’t let him see me.”

Luna’s hands tightened around the box. “That fucking bastard,” she muttered. Harper cast her a frown. “Don’t confront him over the phone thing, okay? He’s bigger and stronger than you.”

Luna said nothing, her jaw and fists clenching in unison.

“Go home, please, babe,” Harper pleaded. “When he’s drunk, he can turn nasty.”

Drunk or not, Luna had a score to settle with that scumbag selkie. “Go back inside and lock the door,” she told her friend.

“Hon, let the law deal with him. Promise you won’t go near him?”

“Promise,” Luna said, crossing her fingers. “I’ll get straight in my boat and head home.” Harper nodded and shooed her out with her hand. Once Luna heard the key scrape in the lock, she darted over to her boat. Placing the box inside, she jumped in and crouched down, taking hold of the rope that tethered the boat to the shore.

She positioned herself so she could see Wyatt staggering along the cobbled pathway that circuited the quay, singing and swearing to himself in equal measure. He was coming straight past her boat, she realized with satisfaction. As he got closer, she pulled the mooring line tight on the post, raising it off the cobbled pavers just high enough to trip up a stupid drunk selkie.

“Hey Wyatt,” she called out.

“Egh, who’s there?”

“Over here, you low-life piece of conniving shit.”

Predictably, he veered over, and as he did his foot caught in the rope. Down he went, his big body slamming hard onto the stone walkway.

He hollered out a string of curses. Clearly too wasted to even right himself, he lay there flailing and groaning.

Luna jumped nimbly out of the boat, unwound the rope from the post and gave him a good hard kick in the ribs on her way back. She figured the rules of a fair fight didn’t apply with the bastard who stole your photos and sold them.

Wyatt bellowed in pain. “What the fuck?—”

“Just a little gift from Luna,” she chirped. Hopping into the boat, she started up the motor and sped away into the night, grinning from ear to ear.