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?"

would think that's the best

Ari really been living here all this

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 not been afforded the

king's eyes shifted between me and Kai. The Elders muttered amongst themselves, their faces a mask of

lunged forward, aiming

"He is my son,"

He is mine, and you'll not stop me

blade glowed with a

to remind you how handy Lam with a sword,

me. "Give

eyes.

fell between us before her

be packing. You should be getting ready to run back to your little human realm. He's my child! And between the two of us. I am the only one qualched to sit beside Tsuneo. Eve given him on heie!

CH72

that?" I asked, glaring at her. "Swear on your station that Kai is

"He is Tsuneo's son!"

Your scales. Your soul

silent and glared. "I swear on

said nothing. I could only guess 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

"And the rest Ari?"

you, human wench!" Ari's face contorted into a mask of rage. "You think you have any right to lecture me? You, a mere hunian, trying to replace me? There will never be a day when you can hold half a candle to me. I am his

anger. "I'm not trying to replace you as Kai's mother," I retorted. "I simply cannot stand the thought of

a dangerous glint flickering in their depths. "You're jealous. Jealous because you can never give Tsuneo a child, a true

me. I had no idea and I didn't care. Though I suppose, in reality, it's because that is what hurt her the most. She knew Kai wasn't Tsuneo's child. She knew that Tsuneo would never look at her that way either.

on it," I