The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 17

The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

CH17

Morgan

Adrenaline surged through me as my body fell forward from the force of his pull. I reached into the robe, drew my sword, and swung quickly at his wrist. He released me, but he wasn't quick enough to completely dodge my follow-up swing. A surprised yelp escaped his lips as a crimson stain blossomed across his chest. I backpedaled, raising my blade into striking form and keeping my eyes on him.

He stumbled back, pressing his hand to his chest. His face contorted in a mixture of pain and fury.

"You...you little human!" he roared. "You dare attack a dragon prince?"

"How dare you attack the queen," I spat back, my voice surprisingly steady despite the rapid thudding of my heart. "You have treason in this world? I don't think pops will appreciate you putting your hands on his extraordinary daughter-in-law." Keiji glared at me, his eyes blazing with rage. He looked down at his bleeding chest and then at the blade in my hand.

Then, he licked the blood from his hand and smirked.

"Fiesty," he said. "You're wasted on my brain-dead brother."

"The heavens must know something you don't," I smirked. "Or something you do."

He laughed. "Tsuneo won't wake up." He licked his lips. "You'd be better off aligning with me, you know? A young woman like you wasted on a comatose idiot? The pleasures-

"You can stop there before you make me sick," I said. "Next time you get the bright idea to touch

I'll take your hand and then your head if I have the chance."

me,

He chuckled and walked around a cart. "We'll see how long you can remain loyal to your so-called husband."

I glared at him. "I don't have a thing for crazy, sore losers: What's your problem with Tsuneo? He's in a coma."

He sneered. "He shouldn't have been born."

Tsuneo's words about his mother, Keiji was younger, but how much

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CH17

to be king," I said. "Aren't you missing something for that

was born first," Keiji said. "When he finally dies,

"See?"

light across his chest. The wound closed, and his robe sewed itself back

with the family. Perhaps you'll start to understand." He chuckled. "All that talk about whose queen you are is far more complicated than they say." "And I'm supposed to believe

asked. "The man who can't

about a historical

could actually enter the queen's study?" "Chosen by the heavens and blessed by the Phoenix," I

means." "No,

chucked. "Father is

time with footsteps, I was sure. It wasn't until I saw him on the stairs that I sheathed my sword and tumed back to the gateway. I walked through the gateway

there was no doubt in my mind. that he had something to do with Tsuneo's coma. I'd deal with him, but for now, I wondered if Ael would bring enough people and enough horses to haul everything out

when Ael and others dressed the way they had been from the Trial came down the steps. They

at Ael.

"Your Majesty? Are you

alright?" 2/4

realizing that I had

crash course he

showed it to me. "When you have it, you

in

still an the thersheld of the mer I pulled my word and came through slow. I looked around. I see a set edge on

bumped into the gateway genth I winced and huffed. I could hit myself. 1 my hand on the crate and walked through the

into tears

put

so I hope

hours to move everything from the foyer into the cave and even longer to haul it all out of the cave. Ael had organized a whole lesion of caravans to move the supplies, though. I rode back to my

Your Majesty. Where