Chapter 29
CH29 Tsuneo
A beat of silence passed. Then, she began. Her hands were gentle as she began cleaning the wound on my shoulder. It stung, but I barely noticed it around the throbbing pain of my claws. gouging into my flash. "Nothing?"
I said nothing.
"Fine. Poison's making you crazy?" I scoffed. "Not that then. Is it making you dragon hyper-aggressive for some reason?... Or is this like a beast gnawing its own leg off to get out of a trap?"
I set my jaw, and her hands went still.
""Tsuneo? Am I right?"
I hesitated. The memory of the hallucination and the searing pain was still fresh in my mind. Part of me wanted to confide in her, to tell her everything. But a deep-seated shame, honed by the sheer amount of damage this whole incident has caused, held me back. "It's complicated," I mumbled, my gaze flickering away from her.
"Uncomplicate it."
I scoffed. "It hurts."
"Too simple, try again."
"I didn't watch my food and drink, and now everyone is paying the price."
She went still. "You only eat off jade plates. Try again."
I blinked and looked at her. She frowned. "I know poison probably messes with your head, but it
had to be something else."
I blinked and nodded. All this time, we'd been working on the assumption that it was something I ate or drank because there were so few people who had access to my clothes, but I nodded. I didn't remember much about the day I passed out or the days leading up to it. Maybe."
1/4
CH29
she said. "You've got to
like I
should." I scoffed. "And this poison... are you sure it's
something more?"
in my throat once more. Was it so obvious, the way I was holding back? Taking a
I began, my voice low and measured. "There are things I can't tell you yet. Things that are...
"Uncomplicate it, husband."
smiled, hearing the words coming from her lips. Then,
"You're manipulating me."
the job of every wife, especially
I laughed.
www
you, Morgan," I said finally, the words heavier than I intended. "But trust is a two-way street. And right now, there
flicker of disappointment crossed her features, but she nodded slowly, accepting my
now.
said, her voice resigned. "So
cooling salve that soothed the burning ache. Her touch, though firm, was
on a shared journey, one careful step at a time. The thought gave me a sliver of hope. Maybe, just maybe, with time, I could tell her. For now, however, all I could
neurotoxin like a snake or a spider bite, maybe
K 88%
10:03 Wed, Oct 16
CH29
paralytic."
have medical knowledge... I thought you
a doctor, actually. His mother was a tailor, as is
sighed. "He
"Doctor Shang?"
stretched once more, this time a comfortable one filled with the quiet thrum of
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