The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 13

CH13

Morgan

By the time Tsuneo was back in bed, my face was still burning. Maya was ecstatic to see me, embracing me despite how filthy I was. I hid the bag of gold in the closet and let Maya run a bath in Tsuneo's bathroom. She hadn't brought clothes with her, but I didn't ask. None of the clothes

were mine anyway.

Instead, my mind kept turning back to the fact that I was naked in his bathroom, and he was in the other room. I put up a privacy spell on the bathroom door, but it didn't make me think about it any less.

That will be the last time you thank me, wife.

The steam stung my eyes, blurring my reflection on the polished surface of the walls.

"Takes a certain sort of man to bathe in a mirrored bathroom," I mused.

"All the bathing chambers are like this. Even yours has changed. It's a good omen."

I sank into the hot water as my stomach filled with butterflies, remembering the deep, velvety

sound of his voice. I should still be upset, but it was hard to gather the anger together. He'd apologized sincerely. The look in his eyes when he apologized was so different than when he'd looked ready to kill me earlier.

"Maya."

"Yes, Your Majesty?" She paused, rolling up her sleeves.

"This queen thing... What exactly does it mean?"

"Every king needs a queen," she said.

""For children?"

She laughed. "It's very rare that the queen gives birth to the king's heir."

1 frowned and looked up at her. "What?"

"It's just too great of a risk. The king usually has a few concubines."

J frowned. "Tsuneo has concubines?"

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and pouring soap onto it. She smiled

learned his name... While you were in the

my head.

before starting

"What's that mean?

"He's... a bit eccentric."

an

he's not married. He turned down all candidates... Some say he's... unnaturally attached

"People think that

in so many

I smirked. "Do people think the crown prince has feelings

ever dream

couldn't help but laugh. I could imagine

back. I washed the rest of me, and I leaned back to let her wash my Maya finished washing my hair and pouted. "You cut your hair

hair.

"Sue me."

It got in the way; I woke up with

sighed. "But all the hair ornaments will go

"You can have them."

don't joke like

"I mean it."

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and pushed a comb through my hair. I looked myself in the mirror and frowned. I looked almost the same as always, but

but it didn't matter.

up behind me with a bright smile and a blood-red and gold robe covered in images of a

"Seems... a bit much."

His Majesty's chambers, and after your escape earlier, you'll need to make

scoffed. "Playing politics like a

It wasn't nearly as heavy as

back. This is

clothes are more ornamented, but you're in the crown

eyes when he'd called me wife. She tied the robe. shut with a long golden cord

asleep. I settled into the seat at the writing desk and took a deep breath. The walls trembled. I felt their approach in a way I couldn't explain. There was more than just his father. Among them was at least one woman. I had a feeling I knew who it

revealing the group. The old man, Tsuneo's father, was in front.

make it a habit of entering my husband's room