The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 11

The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

CH11

Morgan

It was like time stopped. Tsuneo looked ready to catch me, but before I could drive my sword through his face, Doctor Shang caught me in his arms, lifting me off my feet. I couldn't speak. The fury, the frustration, the pressure of everything that had happened exploded. Tsuneo looked up around, looking at the way the walls shimmered. I could see people in my mind's eye freaking out, running around in fear. I saw the shimmering sky starting to shift and turn red like the sky was on

fire.

Tsuneo's eyes widened as he stared at me.

"I'll kill you!" My voice echoed and roared. "I'll kill you!"

"I can't allow you to attempt that," Doctor Shang said, restraining me no matter how I twisted. I rammed my knee into his chest, but it felt like hitting a solid brick. I twisted, aiming higher for his face, but he tossed me, twisting me back over his shoulder and pinning my legs to my chest.

"Let me go!"

"Think of Hiro," he said. "You attempt to kill him, you succeed, and you'll never see him again. They will have you killed if it's found out."

I strained against his hold, glaring at Tsuneo through the tears. I could barely breathe around the

fury.

Tsuneo snarled. "Who the hell is Hiro?" He scoffed. "First Ren, now Hiro. The realm is in more danger than ever if a woman like you was chosen."

"A woman like me?!" I elbowed the back of Doctor Shang's head. He hissed and adjusted his grip

on me.

"His Majesty will apologize," Doctor Shang said, clamping his arms around my legs. He sounded in pain every time I kicked and twisted in his arms, swiping through the air, trying to catch Tsuneo with my sword, but he was just out of reach of the blunt, broken end. That didn't stop me from trying. I screamed, throwing my weight against Doctor Shang's shoulder. He stumbled back enough that I cut through the front of Tsuneo's robe.

to even hope I'd get in a hit. "I promise that your sword will be

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still

"Starting your marriage out like this

the thought of dying in that Trial! I didn't ask

Doctor Shang off, shaking with fury. My vision blurred with tears. "Tell me how I can possibly misunderstand a good-for-nothing, arrogant, selfish idiot who

I"You="

makes you too good to be wrong? You're not. You're no

running away from her husband and threatening to kill him over a

without kidnapping them!" I yelled. "And the child breaking family heirlooms because of his

at him. "I will never forgive you. To hell with you and the veil

else."

down my face, and a sharp sob of agony escaped me. The light from outside spilled blood red over the floor as another sob escaped me, and my

to where he'd thrown the other half of my sword. He bent and picked up the blade, his brow furrowed as he looked at the blade. "Daughter of the Dragon's Mountain..." He read the phrase in that old language that

anymore.

when I was just a girl, and my father had promised me the sword as my birthright. He'd read those words to me, and for a long time, I lived by them. I had tried so hard to be a daughter and heir that my father and his

colors. He writing desk and picked up a page. He frowned down at

went to the

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is not the daughter of the head

my face. "Who are

matter?" I croaked, "What difference

said and looked back

scrambling for the other end of the sword as it floated out

Stop!" I pushed at Doctor Shang's shoulders, more

blade and the broken end and pressed them together. Light flowed in an endless wave over the blade, and then it was whole again as if it had never been broken. The blade lost its silver sheen and took on glowing

all my ancestors who had carried it before me. I sniffled. The sobs felt stuttered and painful in my chest. He sheathed the sword and looked at