The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 1

"He'll change his mind!"

I ignored the wailing. It was a lie, and we both knew it.

It had been hundreds of years since the dragon king had been taking humans for the Trial of Fire. She was putting on a show at this point. I looked up as a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky and closed my eyes. My brother was too young to do much, even if he got

out of his coma. My father was dead, and his widow was useless.

I would have to make a plan forward to make sure my brother would survive the mess his mother had made. I glared at her, glanced at the grave, and turned away.

Tomorrow, I would be dead, but my brother had a chance to be the next head of the family if I could keep Goro from finishing what he started.

Goro...

Dad should have kicked him from the family years ago, but he had always been more loyal to the snakes in his family than they deserved. I walked into the house, leaving the sliding door open that led outside open.

"Where are you going?" She sniffled, following me. "Your father--"

"Is dead, and now I have to keep my brother alive. I want this done with before dawn."

"Done with?" She jumped up, flushed with anger. "How could you say that? Your father's dead! Your brother... my baby--"

Aren't I your daughter? I smiled wryly at the thought. No. I guess I never had been.

She let out another sob. "It should have been you."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for the confirmation."

come into my room mere minutes after Dad had left with my brother had told

what Goro's plan

Stupid.

let her kill my brother, too. A servant muttered something hateful about the water she dripped on the floor, but I didn't care. I opened door after door until she found Goro, my uncle, seated in the main dining hall, dressed in solemn black. The rest of the family was seated in rows, all facing him as the new head. No one ate, but it was clear that Goro was about to start announcing how things

lifted his head and looked at me, meeting my gaze. There was no

couldn't wait to take from Dad's

The bastard...

down the central aisle, breathing deeply and focusing on what had to be

to do

grab

said, looking at me. "If you're here to change

my breath." I came to a stop in front of him. "I'm here to talk to you: head to heir

eyes widened. "You have a

am the new head of the family, and with a word, you'll be prosecuted for violating imperial will with this stunt, and your daughter will be in the caravan when it arrives

bother? How lucky do you think your daughter is?" I cocked my eyebrow even as my stomach

his teeth, baring them briefly. He looked behind

said. My father's widow turned

said, glaring at her. "You have no right to

of them together turned my stomach. The rest

his head. "You

blinked. "I think you're

His eyes widened.

think we should come to an agreement," I said. "After all, your daughter was summoned, not me. The palace won't be happy about you trying

narrowed his eyes. "They documents

and it's never the child of the current head. That's why you did all of this." I approached him, glaring

gave Goro a cold smile