The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 42

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Morgan

She sputtered and drew back. "You-"

"Unless I am wrong and you simply came for a snack."

"I came because these wretches aren't doing what needs to be done. Tsuneo's awakening deserves-

"I'll be the judge of that." I turned to the rest of the staff. As I said before, whatever was on the menu is perfectly fine. My husband is not a difficult man. Serve with good intentions and on time. That is more than enough." I looked back at her

tedly. "And what's your excuse for your dress? It's not exactly your color."

She sneered. "What would you know about it? It was a gift from my Tsuneo. It belonged to my mother-in-law."

"Are you intimating that you are married to my husband?" I asked. "You do realize that as a concubine. Your authority would not exceed mine. Nor would it give you the right to wear my colors."

"They're my colors," Ari said, her chin jutting out defiantly. "You're really a stand-in for now."

The air crackled with tension. My hand instinctively went to the hilt of my sword, but this wasn't the time for a brawl. Ari's lie

was flimsy at best, and I intended to unravel it in front of these very witnesses. I just had to let her dig herself deeper and deeper into the hole. Even like her only burned when they hit absolute rock bottom. "Yours?" I repeated, my voice laced with skepticism. "How very... interesting. To my understanding, you failed the Trial."

She flinched. "And when exactly did my husband bestow this... precious gift upon you? Surely, it wouldn't have been after he fell into a coma as he woke up to save me from another would-be usurper. The color drained from Ari's face, her bravado crumbling. A collective gasp echoed through the room as the weight of my words sunk in.

you mean?" Ari stammered,

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pressed, enjoying the shift in power dynamics. "We all know the Queen's chambers haven't

room, searching for escape, for an ally in the sea of disapproving faces. But there was none. The staff all went back to whatever their tasks

voice laced with desperation. "A... misunderstanding. Don't

know that you're lying. And enough to know that I

and an offer of lemon disease. Take it off, and see to it that anything else that's walked out of

be consequences. That I

eyes. She straightened her posture, the defiance returning. Good. It would

voice low and threatening. It's mine. A gift from

the unfolding confrontation. I heard others coming in and recognized them from the dinner. They were some of

well, I said, my voice cold.

Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps shattered the tense silence. The heavy oak doors

then on Ari, and before his gaze dragged over Ari

demanded, his voice sharp

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as he took in

flung her arms wide, stumbled back at step, and collapsed to the ground in a heap of shimmering fabric. Her eyes, red-rimmed and brimming with manufactured tears, locked on Tsuneo. She pointed at me. "Tsuneo!" she wailed, her voice thick with feigned hurt.

comical. Still, a flicker of concern crossed Tsuneo's face. He glanced at me, his gaze searching, his expression unreadable. Did he believe her? Was the trust, the connection we'd begun

flared, but I quelled it with a deep breath. Lowering my sword, I met Tsuneo's gaze.

one else seemed to want to discipline her and the clearly lax security of the palace, I

flared with heat. His lips twitched.

of

out of fabric