The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 72

The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

CH72

Morgan

I turned to Kai and offered him my hand. He came to me willingly and I crouched down, smiling at him.

"And what of Kai?" I asked, my voice soft but firm. Is he not allowed to make a decision? Is he to be left to the whims of his mother? Or is he supposed to be treated as the heir that you wish him to be?" Kai's eyes glistened with tears.

"Your Majesty." I turned to the king." I believe in this case, as we cannot ascertain exactly whose child he is. It would be better to focus on what we do know. He is of your line. He is an heir to the empire. He should be allowed to make his decision about how he would like to be raised and where he would like to live."

"He is my child!" Ari shrieked. As his mother, it is my right to decide, and he will live with me."

"I think the more pressing question is, where has he been living all this time?" The king said, his lips curving g into a smile. Clearly, he was getting the direction 1 was going in. "Does it make sense that an heir to the throne would be living somewhere other than palace when his mother has been living here for the past five years?"

Ari sputtered. The Elders exchanged uneasy glances. The implications of the question were too plain to ignore.

"Given the tumult of the past few years, it would make sense that Lady Arl would have some reservations about bringing her son to the palace. After all, the child's father and grandmother were both attacked here in the palace. She likely, as a mother, didn't feel that it was safe."

The king's gaze cut to the elder. "And so she stayed in the luxury of the palace for the past five years in danger while her son was

"Let's ask him." I turned back to Kai. "Would you like to go home to where you've been, or would you like to stay in the palace here?"

His eyes brightened, and he bounced on his toes. "Could I really come live in the palace?"

majesty would think

been living here

"And it is from my deepest apologies that you have not been afforded the same rights, but not to worry. We will get to the bottom of why you have

amongst themselves, their faces a mask of

forward, aiming to grab

"He is my son,"

shrill. "I carried him 1 birthed him! He is mine, and you'll not stop me from getting

her. The blade glowed with a soft, opalescent light. Kai clung to my leg. I could

you how handy Lam with a

at me. "Give me my

eyes. "Come

before her face scrunched

only one qualched to sit beside Tsuneo. Eve given him on heie! You havent even been able to satisfy him for a single night. You

CH72

at her. "Swear on your station that Kai

"He is Tsuneo's son!"

your fire. Your scales. Your soul

and glared. "I swear on

that meant she didn't have fire, so maybe she breathed ice or something The unsettled whispers between the elders was all I needed. If any of them had really believed that Kai was Tsuneo's

"And the rest Ari?"

There will never be a day when you can hold half a candle to me. I am his mother. You will never bear Tsuneos child. He would never lower himself to touch you in

retorted. "I simply cannot stand the thought of him growing up with a mother who would use him for her own selfish

the next crown prince as such I am owed to be queen" She stomped her foot. Her eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flickering in their depths. "You're jealous. Jealous because

hurt her the most. She knew Kai wasn't Tsuneo's child. She knew that Tsuneo would never look at her that way either. She was projecting. It

on it," I