Page 18 of The Kraken Bride

A shadowy aura outlined his muscular form, the gloom seeming to writhe, as agitated as the sea outside the dome.

When his gaze found mine, the world narrowed. An electric current rolled through my veins, a slow undertow that dragged through the rest of me.

His eyes smoldered, as if I’d set fire to his desire. His jaw flexed once. A breath drawn too slowly. I knew the feeling well, considering I experienced it myself. Then he inclined his head, just slightly.

Acknowledgment. I forgot how to breathe altogether.

The stunner next to him followed the line of his gaze, finding me. Her lips pursed. She whispered something to the person on her other side, who immediately looked my way.

In fact, everyone looked my way. Heads turned one after another. Give me a stage, an orchestra, and several hundred people watching my every move, and I was perfectly content. Audiences watched with anticipation, delight, and wonder. But these people studied with curiosity, calculation and speculation.

Learn when not to shine. Bright and shiny attracts attention. Shadows collect secrets.

Pretty sure I’d just failed that one, Adelaide.

I focused on Sebastian. Should I close the distance? Deep down, I knew. Every move I made from this point forward would be remembered, discussed, and interpreted. So, nein. I shouldn’t close the distance. Besides, this was Sebastian’s show. He must come to me.

I searched for someone, anyone else I might know. Oh. The other ambassadors were here as well, all clustered together.

The bear spotted me and elbowed the griffin. In unison, all the others faced me, eyes wide. They’d seen me yesterday and hadn’t reacted like this. Which meant they’d already heard about my budding romance with the kraken king.

I turned to Freyja to tell her—absolutely nothing. She had already gone. In her place was Mountain Man. He stood directly behind me, unconcerned about personal boundaries.

Um. “Hello?”

He was a tower of strength and so wide I wasn’t sure how he fit in the dome, much less the garden. Dark hair brushed the collar of his coat, practical rather than styled. His strong jaw framed a face carved in hard, uncompromising lines. He wore all black and hadn’t even tried the slightest to hide the arsenal of weapons strapped to his body.

“I’m Gunnar, my lady.” Silvery eyes studied me. “I’ve been assigned to your safety.” His deep voice boomed. “I take this assignment seriously. Anyone who harms you will die screaming.”

So I now had a personal assistant, a lady’s maid and a bodyguard.

I was never to be alone here, was I? And I got it. I did. As the king’s rune whisperer, I must be protected at all costs. Not that anyone else knew it. To them, I was a shiny new toy.

Because irritation helped no one, I sighed. “It’s nice to meet you, Gunnar. Please allow me to offer a pre-apology for any trouble I cause you.”

“Make my king happy, and I’ll die for you, if need be.”

He spoke as if he’d made a simple statement of fact, as plainly as if he’d said sunny weather is warm. His devotion left me reeling. He and Sebastian must share a special bond.

“I’d rather you didn’t do any dying, thank you,” I informed him. He shrugged, responding without words. I heard his words anyway.

That’s on you now, isn’t it?

A tall kraken with jet hair and a neon-blue velvet suit stepped onto the dais, striking the stone once with a slender rod of coral. The sound rang clear and resonant.

“Welcome one and all. Especially our illustrious king. I’m Game Master Bjarki,” he announced with a wide sweep of his arms, “and this wonderful morning, we honor kraken tradition with… Tideweave!”

Cheers exploded across the garden. Most of the crowd directed their exuberance at Sebastian himself. The king nodded in acknowledgement. All the while, my nervous system roiled.

The game master raised a hand, and the attendees quieted. “Partners will enter the circle together. You will remain connected, no exceptions. When the floor reveals the tide, you follow its rhythm and activate the royal crest as they rise.”

Activate the royal crest. Like we would soon activate the rune? That must be why he’d chosen this game. To get me familiar with the process. Smart.

“Miss one,” the game master continued, “and the tide leaves you behind. Break form, and you’re out. The first couple to activate all five crests wins. But remember. The smoother your steps, the faster your crests appear.”

All right, that sounded easy enough. Although, there would be more than just occasional brushes. There would be constant contact. Uneasiness shimmered along my spine.

“For those participating, you have five minutes to select a partner. Choose well,” the game master added with a cheeky grin. “Your victory—or your loss—depends on it.”