The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 65

CH 65

I nodded. "They're quite cheap here. A bit of rock and magic. I-"

Kai let out a loud

A particularly large firework exploded in the sky, revealing the silhouette of a phoenix, followed by that of a dragon. The two creatures seemed to dance in the night sky, entwining like two lovers. I smiled. I remembered the first time I'd seen that firework as a child. I remembered how petulant Keiji grew at the sight of it, resentful. I could not think of a time in which Keiji had not been resentful toward me.

Kai turned to me. "What are those?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder.

I frowned. "You've never seen a depiction of a dragon or a phoenix?"

or what they are?

He shook his head. "Is that what they

"Yes," I said slowly, trying to keep my voice level as the curiosity and dread started to take over. Where had he been living that he had never seen such a thing? The images of them were spread throughout the kingdom. Do you know much about what it means to be a dragon?"

He blinked and flushed, shaking his head.

"Come here."

He shifted toward me, and I lifted him onto my lap, looking down into his eyes. I didn't remember how young I was when I grew my first set of scales.

I offered him my hand and pulled up my sleeve so he could see the trail of scales down my arm, they were faint, barely risen, and uncolored but he gasped.

have scales like that

be is anyone's guess. These are new

a companion, someone who brings balance and harmony to their life, but the truth is that every dragon has a companion somewhere, a phoenix, of

Had he never met a commoner dragon? That narrowed down where in the kingdom he might have been living. "A dragon's companion is often referred to as a phoenix, due to our origins, but there is a difference between a true phoenix and a dragon's

me and Morgan. Like

nodded, my heart swelling with

Ari?" He frowned. "Father

slightest tilt to her lips. A shy, cunning

wife, yes, and my

"How do

the Trial of Fire Only true

phoenixes can survive it."

winced "Then, Lady An

isn't a

gets burned

is ven in cong

with

lot of

lot of times."

but Morgan had no such

okay. I post hope Father finds a

like Lady Morgan," he said, leaning

father nice?

CH65