Epilogue
Luna reverently turned the pages of the book in front of her.
“I remember Mom painting this one,” she said softly, stroking the picture of a rock flower anemone with her fingertips. She felt tears well up in her eyes and reminded herself to keep breathing with her gills. She’d never cried under water; she had no idea how that would even work.
Kai’s father watched her over the top of his spectacles, and Kai held her hand. His mom gave her arm a gentle pat.
It had been such an emotional day. Her first in Thedaka.
Kai hadn’t let her swim here from Motham, he’d been worried it would exhaust her, with her gills still being so new to her, so he’d made sure the kraken craft picked them up. When she got on, she’d been touched and surprised to find that the captain had put up streamers and “Welcome, Luna” signs all over the cabin.
She’d wanted to cry then too. But she knew she’d need her energy for the day ahead.
As the vessel touched down just inside the gates of Thedaka, she’d marveled at the beautiful carved rock everywhere. Along the streets, krakens had put up more welcome signs in their quaint little stores, banners, and streamers made from different types of seaweeds. All around, neon tetras, and angel fish paraded.
It was festive and beautiful, all in honor of her arrival.
The first couple of hours had passed in a whirl. There’d been a welcome party at the Town Hall, the highlight of which had been Razad in his wheelchair coming to give them his blessing. She’d gone to bow, but he’d stopped her by taking both her hands in his tentacles, then bent his barnacled head and kissed them. He’d apologized for the hurt kraken had caused her and Tom. Welcomed her to Thedaka.
It had been beautiful, and healing.
But this… even more so.
Her heart full, Luna kept turning pages.
She stared at the detailed botanical sketches and observations in neat human script, the commentary on fish species and how they lived, fed, and bred here in the ocean. Now she understood why her parents had spent so many hours diving.
“I spent many months and years studying these texts,” Pieter said softly, “adding their work to what I knew myself. Their observations about the best conditions for coral to spawn helped me with our coral farms here.”
“How did my mom and dad even know all this?” It was a rhetorical question. She knew Kai’s father could no more answer it than she could. But at least these writings gave her a sense of her parents’ in-depth knowledge of marine life. “Were they searching for Thedaka? To help kraken kind… do you think?”
“I certainly like to think so. This is where the reef was always the most beautiful, centuries ago. It would have been heard of many, many nautical miles from this spot. Perhaps they knew of the trouble we were in and had come to share their knowledge.”
Luna was thoughtful for a moment. “My dad did say we were about to come close to something very special.”
“We’ll never know for sure,” Ellen added. “But we sense that Angus and Anna were trying to find Thedaka. And the fact that you, their daughter, are here with us now, with our Kai, is a wonderful omen.”
“I’m so happy for that.” Luna sighed.
Maybe she would never know where her people came from, but in this moment, she was certain they had come in peace, in friendship, as allies. And even though they had perished, their wisdom lived on in Thedaka.
And now, her future would be here with Kai, to help him lead his people and face the changes that lay ahead. And those changes, she hoped would include their own younglings. Waldo had told them that mating would be possible, yes. It would involve dedication and maybe some magic, but hey, magic was on the mend too, these days, wasn’t it?
She looked at Kai. His eyes were soft, his amphibious form so beautiful to her, just as beautiful as his human one.
It was the end of a long day. It was freeing. Exciting. Exhilarating to be this other Luna, with her new friends and family.
Finally, Kai took her hand and drew her away from the gathering.
“How are you feeling?”
“Just a little tired, with all the breathing and talking.” Most folks, including her, had spoken a kind of pidgin Kraken/English. She’d had to work at that too.
“I have one more thing I want to show you, then we’ll head back to Motham.”
“I’m not sure I want to leave yet. I’ve had the best time.”
“We’ll be back in a week to introduce Tomas to the clan. And when you’re ready we can spend days, weeks, here, until you’re ready to live here.” His dark eyes danced with excitement. “Come with me…”
After they’d bade family and friends farewell, they swam together to the outskirts of the city, past rocky outcrops burgeoning with small fish, creatures foraging in the sea meadows, all going about their business. After a while, Luna sensed they were climbing toward shallower waters. And finally, they reached a cave, surrounded by bright coral.
Kai led the way inside. Luna gasped. It was a house, with a cozy sitting room, a kitchen, two bedrooms, and a little study, all furnished in driftwood and carved stone. There were sea grass cushions and rugs, and a big, big bed on a flat piece of rock.
“This is our new home, if you wish it to be,” Kai said shyly after he’d shown her each room.
As she gazed around, her heart sang with a joy she had not felt since childhood, standing on the bow of her family’s boat, watching the clouds chase across the foamy sea, the wind whipping her hair and the tang of salt on her tongue.
That had been the last place she’d truly called home.
Until now here, with Kai.
In their home, a place to build a future full of love.
“Just one more thing.” Kai’s took her hand and led her up a flight of rocky steps. Hitting the surface of the water, Luna gasped as her nostrils took in air.
“The roof garden. Kind of.” Kai grinned.
They’d arrived on a rocky outcrop that sat above the water. On it was a little weathervane, shaped like a sailing boat. And above that was a sign, with a sea bird already sitting cheekily on it, preening its feathers. Kai shooed it away and it flew off with a squawk.
Luna moved closer and read the engraved word.
Anganna.
“The name of our new home,” Kai said proudly.
It took a moment, and then it dawned. “Angus. And Anna. Combined,” she whispered. Now the tears did flow, and she let them run down her cheeks freely. She flung her arms around Kai’s neck and all his tentacles hugged her close.
“Is that a replica of our boat?”
“Yes, I had it made in Merinda. It’s not exact, I’m sure, but it’s as close as I could imagine.”
“Thank you, thank you. Oh Kai, I love you so much.”
“I love you too. Always and forever, babe. Talking of love, there is actually one more thing…”
Luna drew back and cocked her head. Kai looked suddenly awkward, a muscle in his jaw clenching. Then he folded down onto his tentacles in front of her. “Will you, Luna Storm, do me, Kai Ganlan, the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Oh Kai. Yes, yes, of course I will.” Then her eyes danced. “On one condition.” Kai looked momentarily worried. “Just don’t expect me to wear a white dress.”
“Somehow, I didn’t envisage Luna Storm marrying me in white. What color?”
“I dunno— red maybe?”
“We’ll cut a fine pair.” He laughed. “Blue and red, like royalty walking down the aisle.”
They kissed until they rolled off the rock and plopped into the water. Luna forgot to use her gills and spluttered.
Kai patted her on the back as she got her breathing going again. Soon it would be second nature to switch breathing modes, she was sure. Just not quite yet.
“You’re tired, we need to head back to land,” he said.
“But I love this place.” She took one last swim around the little house, taking it all in, committing it to memory. “Can’t we stay?”
“A whole night under water may be too much just yet, babe. We’ll be here again soon to bring Tomas to meet everyone. But for now, I’m taking you back to Motham, and we’re going to snuggle up in that marsh house bed of yours—or maybe that claw-foot bath—and have crazy hot sex.”
“As long as you’re by my side, Kai, any place will be home,” she sighed happily. “Especially if there’s crazy hot sex on offer,” she added, a shit-eating grin spreading from ear to ear.
“Always, my Luna.” Kai said as he coiled a tentacle around her waist and pulled her close. Gazing into his beautiful eyes, Luna circled an arm around her beloved kraken, and together they swam up to meet the light.
THE END