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.

we were too far from Tsuneo to even hope I'd get in a hit. "I promise

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at his shoulders, still

Shang said softly. "Starting your marriage

happy enough with the thought of dying in that Trial! I didn't ask for

tears. "Tell me how I can possibly misunderstand a good-for-nothing, arrogant, selfish idiot who pretends to

I"You="

wrong? You're not. You're no better than human nobility and twice as

from her husband and

get a wife without kidnapping them!" I yelled. "And the

glaring at him. "I will never forgive you. To

else."

The light from outside spilled blood red over the floor as another sob escaped me, and my anger, as hot as it was, started to

His eyes widened, and his gaze drifted over 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 no

anymore.

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

glittering with shifting colors. He writing desk and picked up a page.

went to the

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Ryuvama is not the daughter of the head of the Ryuyama

my

I croaked, "What difference does

said and looked back

the other end of the sword

more desperate than before.

whole again as if it had never been broken. The blade lost its silver sheen and took on glowing opalescent colors. The hilt of the sword went from an antique copper to a deep, rich gold. The scabbard floated out from within my shirt and into his hand, and the

had carried it before me. I sniffled. The sobs felt stuttered and painful in my