The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 18

CH18 Tsuneo

The minutes stretched into an eternity after Morgan left. My room had never felt like so much of a prison as it did

right now. | used my connection to the palace to watch Morgan leave, but sustaining that connection was

exhausting. | hated it. | hated that | was trapped here for want of proof of who was behind the assassination

attempt, let alone my mother's death.

The thought of Morgan facing the snakes of the palace alone or returning to the human realm alone didn't sit

well with me. She was just a human: fragile and young. If something were to happen to her, the dragon in me

would burn this world to the ground-palace and all. I smiled, shaking my head. All the warnings from my father

about what it meant to have a queen, for the dragon in you to claim someone as your own, had not prepared me

for this. | knew so little about her, but what | knew was already captivating me.

| went to my closet and pulled out the chest hidden there. | locked the main door and put up my barrier to

ensure no one would just cin. | opened the chest. My hand drifted unconsciously to the ornately carved

tablet on top. It was a potential gift, a useful one more than sentimental. She'd want access to the library

without hauling all the books around, but | passed over it.

It wasn't an appropriate gift for a woman | had only met the night of our marriage, a woman | still had to court

into at least having saffection for me. | suppose I'd have to see how hard that would be after she had dinner

with my family.

Lost in thought, | almost didn't hear the soft click of the door opening. My head snapped up, and | watched her

cin. The greeting died in my throat as | looked at her. She cin as a whirlwind of skittish energy, her

eyes wide and wary. She sheathed her sword only after the door was locked behind her and the barrier was

raised. Exhaustion clung to her like a shroud, etched in the lines around her eyes and the slump of her shoulders.

My heart clenched with a sudden surge of protectiveness.

"Morgan," | said, my voice softer than | intended. "What happened? Are you alright?"

She flinched at the sound of my voice, a flicker of fear crossing her features before she schooled her expression

into a mask of composure.

"I'm fine," she muttered, her voice barely a whisper. "Just...tired."

There was more to it, | could tell. But before I could press her, she sank down onto the chaise lounge, her eyes

fluttering closed for a brief moment.

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| crossed the room, eyeing her and taking in her scent. The air around Morgan swirled with a bunch of scents,

and her mind was chaotic with anxiety-fear, maybe. Sweat, dust, the faint tang of something else: the human

realm. But beneath it all, a more familiar, unwelcscent prickled my nostrils.

It was Keiji's scent and blood. My hand shot out, surprising her into a scream. Her hand was on her sword's hilt,

and she'd drawn seconds later, aiming the tip at me. Her eyes were wide with fear. | held still as her panic

started to clear. Then, | dropped my gaze to her wrist, turning it over to examine the pale skin beneath the

sleeve of the robe she wore. There, marring the smooth surface, was a faint purple bruise. | leaned down and

hissed, getting Keiji's scent from her skin. He'd touched her. Marked her. Bruised her. A surge of anger, hot and

primal, roared through me.

"What happened?" | demanded, my voice hard with barely contained fury.

Morgan flinched at the intensity in my voice. She trembled. | bit my lip and crouched down in front of her, trying

to soften my voice.

"Tellwhat happened, Morgan."

She shook her head. "It's nothing."

My grip tightened on her wrist meaningfully, and 1 cupped her face to meet my gaze.

"He marked you, Morgan. It is far from nothing. Tellwhat happened."

et free.

She set her jaw and yanked her wrist.

"I said it's nothing, Tsuneo. I'm exhausted, and | have to get ready for dinner with the king. We can discuss this

later."

But the fire in her eyes mirrored the one flickering in my chest. | wouldn't be dismissed so easily. "That is a while

yet," | growled, refusing to back down. "Tellwhat happened."

A deep breath escaped her lips, a mixture of exhaustion and exasperation swirling in her gaze. "Keiji... made a

move. | cut him. It's nothing."

My jaw clenched. "A move?"

"He grabbed my arm, yanked me, and freakedout. This bruise is nothing."

There was an echo, a ricochet of thoughts and emotions that washed throughfrom her mind.

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CH18

| met her gaze, taking her hand gently.

"Your pain has meaning to me, Morgan," | said gently. "No matter how small."

Her eyes glossed over, but she didn't pull away. | cast a gentle spell over her wrist until the bruises vanished.

She gasped. | could see the flush spreading down her cheeks and the darkened with desire.

way

her

eyes

So, we were truly compatible. I licked my lips, and she gasped, jolting back at the action. | released her gently.

"How was your trip?"

"Long... Keiji made it pretty clear that he is certain you won't wake up. Is he on your suspect list?

Who else is on there?"

| chuckled. "You are too insightful."

The question, so bluntly phrased, cut through the haze of anger. The truth was, the list was far from short. There

were ambitious nobles, power-hungry advisors, concubines, anyone who had a grudge against my father or

mother, and even distant relatives who coveted the throne. The viper's nest of court politics was a breeding

ground for suspicion and treachery.

But the thought of Morgan facing any of them, alone and vulnerable, sent a fresh wave of protectiveness

crashing over me. | could not go with her to dinner, but | could arm her with

information.

"Many," | finally admitted, my voice gruff. "And yes, Keiji is on the list."

Morgan nodded curtly, her expression unreadable.

"I'd rather not walk into dinner completely in the dark, even if | have to pretend that | am. I'm taking a bath." She

stood and headed to the bathroom.

My gut clenched with desire, just imagining her nake on the other side of the door, but | pushed those thoughts

aside. Morgan would be an essentially unprotected target tonight. And if | wanted to keep her safe, she needed

everything | could give he. Frustration prickled atas | walked

across the room and sat beside the door.

"Morgan," | called out, my voice low but firm, "don't shutout. There's more than my brother involved, isn't

there?"

Silence greeted my question, broken only by the faint sound of water running. A sigh escaped my

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CH18

lips. | leaned my head back against the cool wood,

"Is it your family?"

"You're supposed to be preppingfor dinner. | need to make a good impression on your dad. So, what's up

with him and you, your mother, and Keiji?" Chapter Comments

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