The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 16

CH16

Morgan

Tsuneo stepped back into the bedroom and out of sight. I lowered the barrier and let Doctor Shang in. He was alone, carrying a box and a satchel. There was a smudge of something on his check, and an herbal scent drifted across the room when he entered. "I've marked the remedies," he said and set them on the table. "They're intensive, but they are not quick fixes. I would need more time for that, but those remedies are brewing."

He set the remedies on the table and showed them all to me. There were three weeks worth of

remedies for my brother and a bunch of other vials filled with shimmering liquid. The glowing

blue ones were for his sister.

"There should be enough for the next three weeks in your time. Have Imperial Captain Ael and whoever else works with him attend to your brother to administer the potions. I'll have more intensive ones ready soon." "Thank you."

He pulled out a roll of paper and handed it to me. "These are notes about the notes for what the Elders have put together for you. They have it all gathered in the foyer."

I winced. "I'll.. figure it out on the other side."

I wasn't sure how best to get it all, considering the distance between the mirror in the unit's house and the gateway for the Trial. I hauled the bag of gold onto my shoulders, but Tsuneo came up behind me, taking the bag from me. Doctor Shang's eyes widened. "You-"

"Take the cart," Tsuneo said. The closet opened, and a floating box came out. "You are the queen. You don't carry a bag like a commoner."

I scoffed. "I'm Morgan, and I've carried a lot of bags."

He chuckled and put the bag and remedies in the box. "Not anymore."

The journals stood up and floated into the closet. Doctor Shang looked stunned, but he said nothing. Tsuneo cupped my face. There was a pleased light in his eyes.

'Safe journey, wife."

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CH16

"Wait," I said, grabbing his sleeve before he turned away. "About the money and stuff."

"Wife-"

said, fighting the embarrassment that washed through

just take

jaw clenched. "Why can you not

stomach jolted. "It's not our money. It's yours ar... imperial money. I

not humoring you not taking

set my jaw. "A loan

cocked an eyebrow. "A

get loans from their sovereign all the time, don't

sultry as he stepped close enough for me to feel the heat of his body. A wave of heat swept through me, but it felt like it

My stomach flipped at the insinuation in his voice

Ryuyama family made clothes for the

sword."

and he skimmed his fingertips

a lot." A smile tugged at the

"First rule of survival."

he said, the word laced

at the shock of electricity that hit me

in his

on his lips. He made a

consider something... incredibly lavish

stammered, momentarily

shivers down my spine. "Look forward to it." He turned away, and I wished I could say that something more than curiosity was building in me. Doctor Shang looked amused and grinned, looking between the two

was meant to

want an ungrateful

"I don't believe we've made it to the point where gratitude applies. As I said, there is much to make up

Doctor Shang. He grinned at me and hustled off down the hall. I took the quickest path back

room inside Ael's unit's house. The room was empty, but the house wasn't. I could feel their presence, and part of me wondered if the house was attached

room I passed

the corner

the floating box behind

sister. The top ones are for my brother, and the rest are..." I frowned, not sure how to

too soon. We had just

his head. "Thank you. I will get them distributed across all

food and stuff... but they put it near the gateway for the Trial, and I have no idea how to get it through different mirrors." His eyes bulged. "There will be no need. I'll gather caravans and horses to transport

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