The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 74

CH74

Tsunto

I kissed this out of her head, walked around the table, and joined them

"You want to learn too?" Kai asked.

Kai, sat across from Morgan, his small hands carefully placing the pieces in a pattern. I recognized the game from my childhood. Playing it against my father and Ke when he could be bothered to play with me.

*I believe I know how to play this game. Though we usually play with an actual board." I picked up a piece of fruit from the fruit bowl. "Though I could certainly get behind this version of it."

I pop the piece into my mouth and licked the juice from it. Morgan's eyes lingered on me. Her eyes wide, her cheeks flushed. It was such a dangerous

look. I smirked at her.

"Careful, wife. You'll get yourself into more trouble. It's not even our honeymoon yet."

She scowled and looked away from me. "Well, Kai, how do I play?"

He started explaining it, but I watched Morgan. There was a darkness in her eyes, a hesitant, a distance. She was there, and she was engaged, but her mind was somewhere else. I took her hand, threading our fingers together. "Are you all right?"

She gave me a thin smile and squeezed my hand back. "Later,"

I lifted her hand to kiss the back of it before settling in to watch the game. Kai seemed very concentrated after explaining the rules. His eyes darted back and forth between the pieces on the board and Morgan, who seemed equally absorbed in the game.

I watched them, a little amused. It felt ironic that Kai had quickly taken a shine to Morgan, his fear and confusion from the previous day melting away in her presence. Though it was clear that she had a knack for connecting with people, I could have never expected that Ari's child would ever truly like Morgan

I was so trying to wrap my head around the fact that Ari had a child. She'd always been more like a little sister to me. It was hard to think of her as having a child, not being wed, and actively pursuing me in a very twisted manner

"Your turn," Kai announced, his voice filled with a childlike excitement.

It looked like he moved a grape forward. Morgan nodded, her eyes scanning the board. She picked up one of her grapes, hesitated for a moment, then placed it on the board

widened in surprise, then

was a good

beat me. Don't give up yet. It's too early in the

hunk of melon, popping it into his

wanted

beamed. "I guess you have to

do that in front of a child and just leave it at that. As they continued to play, I couldn't help but be impressed by Kal's playing.

all the time with my father. The only

another move with a bramble berry. From what I could tell, she

in the

used to play games like this, too," Morgan said, eating one of

shoulders slumped. "You did

a game

He looked down. He used

laughed and made another move. "Did he? Did you tell him that he would

cheating if you can get away with it. He wrinkled

a quintessential red dragon. Knowing Ari, that seemed to be the most likely, but I really didn't know of any red dragons

asked, my voice soft. "What

eyes grew distant, a hint of sadness clouding

he replied, his voice barely

heart ached for the child, his longing for his father evident in his voice. Morgan's

think he

Ari more. Sometimes, I think he blames me for a

But I guess now I'm here, so I don't have to

said, trying to offer comfort. "And he's probably very proud

small smile playing on his lips. It

"Maybe."

game progressed, Morgan put up just enough of a

mine!" He cackled triumphantly. "I have never

smiled at him, pushing the berry towards him. "I

with pride. "Really?" he asked, his