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."

1/4

CH16

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

"Wife-"

the embarrassment that washed through

can't just take

can

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

humoring you

jaw. "A loan

an

loans from their sovereign all the time, don't

swept through me, but it felt like it came from beyond me. It was dizzying and gone

blinked. My stomach flipped at the insinuation in his voice and in

family made clothes for the imperial

sword."

lips twitched, and he skimmed his fingertips

lot." A smile tugged at the

"First rule of survival."

he said, the word laced

electricity that

sound in

on his lips.

consider something... incredibly lavish for a...wedding

momentarily

gifts to his queen. I have a lot to make up for." He chuckled, a rich, rumbling sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Look forward to it." He turned away, and I wished

last time was meant to be

"You want an ungrateful wife?

applies. As I said,

He grinned at me and hustled off down the hall. I took the quickest path back to the mirror I'd come through, which was the large mirror in the hallway around the corner

but the house wasn't. I could feel their

every room I passed

the corner and

floating

The top ones are for my brother, and the rest are..." I frowned,

he said. "And none too soon.

will get them distributed across

and I have no idea

3/4