The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 22

CH22

Morgan

The entire table went quiet. The king cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Pretending?"

"As lovely as this... welcome dinner is, you don't decide to revive the Trials lightly or without reason." I sat forward. "So what has been so important that thousands of young women have had to die?"

"You cross the line, human," someone hissed down the table.

He lifted a hand with a wry smile.

"You are truly... chosen by the heavens, aren't you? Speaking like a beam of light: straight and precise." He sat back. "My wife would speak the way you do. It made it impossible to capitulate. I appreciate it. It's refreshing... I've missed it, and given the situation, it's necessary."

Ignoring the hostility from further down the table, I focused on the king. He worked his jaw before speaking again.

"Our realm and the human realm rely on each other. It is believed that our realms sit side by side, but in truth, they are intertwined, not just through mirrors and portals and gateways but by their very essence. The veil, as we call it, is the borderline and the connection. It keeps us separate but also connects us. When the veil is open, the magic that is naturally generated in our room can spill out into the human room, allowing for longer life spans, healthier people, and richer land, but when it is closed, humans grow weaker, the earth suffers, and the magic that would usually spill out and have somewhere to go stagnate and corrupts us."

I thought of Ael's worry about their little magical garden dying.

"It has been five years since the veil closed with my wife's murder. We estimate that if the veil remains closed for another ten years, the human realm will fall, and ours will fall soon after. We

have been warned of this in the Visions of Queens.

"And you're certain."

salready begun," b

"The corruption said. "Tsuneo's coma is thought to be the first sign."

"What do these... visions say?"

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the Phoenix will never

all will turn to darkness as it was in

hope dancing in his eyes. But beneath that hope lurked a shadow of doubt, a

go between worlds is part of your powers as queen, which you longer you are here. I suspect that you were

grow into the

the sky turned blood

"Frightening."

not chosen lightly, and she is always as

smirked. "So, what was

He grinned. "A hurricane."

on. Eventually, it was time for dessert. I turned the information over in my mind. Glancing

the veil again?" Someone further down asked. "We know nothing about what humans are like now, or at least very little.

of them sneered. "Butchering our kind in vain hopes of immortality. If the veil is opened, it is open

I blinked at her "I've heard

myths currently."

veil has been

honestly, thousands of young women have been killed at this point,

changed like a fish's, and I figured she was

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CH22

guess? Like tigers cating people and vis vera." I smiled at her. "Maybe we could

the

My eyes bulged. "Sovereign?"

"There is a reason only the queen can control the veil... representative

what I

would say

are undeniable," the king said, his voice firm. "But the danger we

his gaze connecting with mine. "For both worlds. I hope that your lingering resentments do not cloud your judgment or hinder your progress

hummed. "When I can verify what you say as truth, I'm sure it

"I am grateful for

of the servants nearby, a hint of a

lips.

his voice lighter now. "Let us celebrate the

forward, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Indeed, Father. Perhaps a

silver tray laden with two intricately carved goblets filled with a shimmering, golden liquid. One of them was set in front of me. The other was in front of the king. The others were brought other goblets. "Tonight," he boomed, his voice filled with newfound