The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 67

CH67 Morgan

The hesitation in him gave me pause. I looked up and saw it all over his face and the way his dark opall eyes flickered. He was hiding something from me. Pushing him would get me nowhere, so I said nothing, just watching him struggle with it. He'd confide in me when he was ready. We had at least gotten that far in our relationship for me to know that for certain.

For now, I just leaned against him, enjoying the heat of the baths.

"Should we talk about something else?"

"I don't mean to hide things from you."

"I know" I sighed and closed my eyes.

A few moments of silence passed before 1 thought of something to say.

"Tell me a story," I said, my voice soft, the gentle lapping of the water providing a soothing backdrop.

Tsuneo chuckled, his voice warm. My heart skipped a beat.

"I know you are young, but I did not expect you to be that young."

I nudged him. "And how old are you?"

In your realm's years, or mine?"

....yours."

"Five and twenty."

I blinked at that. I didn't even want to know what the equivalent was. Hundreds? Thousands? I shook my head. This is probably not what one of my aunts meant by marrying an older man, but I doubt she would have complained.

"Well, you're at least older than I am, so tell me a story.

"What kind of story?" he asked.

"Anything," I replied. Something about your realm."

He hummed

the first dragon and phoenix?" he

that's

a creature of immense power and beauty. But with

chuckled. "If you overthink the stories, they cease

I shrugged. "Go on.

been one for origin or creation myths. It always seemed so

have not always had my doubts about the stories, but these are the stories that I was told as a child, the things

realm was a place

a place of fantasy.

CHET

for companionship. In answer to his plea, a

that, but I

and

became the symbol of balance and harmony. Together, they brought order to the world, their love a beacon in the darkness. But their union was not without its challenges, Tsuneo continued. "The world was filled with darkness, and there were those who sought to destroy their harmony. The dragon and phoenix fought valiantly and became rulers of the realm. Within the chaos, all

world." He paused.

Phoenix also drew the line between the human

form in my throat. Images flashed

a beautiful story," I

feels as though there is something

turned to me with a questioning look." I have always felt the same. His eyes searched mine. As if the details didn't quite add up. As if the story was always

I smiled at him

as though I'm not the only one

out?

We dressed for bed and headed towards our sleeping chambers A sense of peace washed over me when Tsuneo's arm wrapped around me, his body was a comforting presence in the darkness?

while later, I felt him shift, His fingers gently tracing patterns

tired," he murmured, his voice low

to him. "I am." I replied, my voice barely a whisper. "But

could say the

you if you tell

rumble went through him. I don't want

I cant misunderstand anything if

He chuckled."true"

race under my palm. If you're not ready to talk about it, we don't have to talk about it. I know you're hiding something from me and