The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 99

CH99

Tarofu

The Elders looked terrified. I almost laughed.

Good. It was better to have them running scared. It was only a matter of time before Keiji rose

again.

What? Tsuneo roared from the back of my mind.

You have much to learn about being a celestial.

"The Convening won't take place for several weeks.

"How can you be so sure of that?" An Elder asked, his nose wrinkled. "You have no idea when they will arrive."

Jilted my head looking at him. "I suppose neither do you."

He flushed.

"The turtles will travel by ocean from their island, but their travel across land will be slow. The tigers move quickly in bursts, but they will require frequent stops and they are much further away. There is a mountain range between us after all. With the size of the caravans they will come with- guards, nobles, women, servants-it will take several weeks from the time they leave."

They stammered and I pointed to the ceiling. "And the Alignment always falls on the first day of the Convening. It is several weeks out."

Hayato frowned, then he lifted his head, leading the Elders to lift their heads to the giant star compass in the ceiling. They had likely never noticed that it was more like a clock because they weren't keeping track of things as needed. They all looked back at me and I smiled.

"Should I go on?" I asked. "Or you need me to explain how it works?"

Hayato smiled. "Your proposition, Tsuneo?"

"You should take a break."

My father looked at me, his eyes filled with surprise. "A break?"

"Yes, a long, restful break. I smirked. "You need rest. I can handle the preparations."

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CH99

Hayato's eve

glanced at the Elders with a

Prince Tsuneo, while I'm sure the king welcomes your concern, we cannot prepare for

should be mostly oversight for him if the Elders and the Crown Prince are doing their jobs properly." I cocked an eyebrow. Are you telling me that you don't plan to

They sputtered.

Elders said, her voice filled with a mixture of disapproval and condescension. "You

never experienced a Convening, either. Have

""That's beside the point.

event and leaning on his heir and his Council for the preparations unless you are admitting that you are not up to the task." They flushed and

of your wife? You should be focusing on her. You have not been married for

"My wife will be fine,"

monitoring of trade to become so lax, taking kickbacks or whatever else you've done,

was no guilt in their eyes but fear. They didn't care what happened to Morgan, but they didn't want to be

of the Elders

for healing," I said.

"Son."

I looked at him.

""Is she?"

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CH99

her. "A phoenix always rises... His eyes widened. "Even if there is only a spark left, and Morgan has more than a spark. She will wake soon I leaned toward him, meeting his gaze. "But you need rest. You have lost two children in to my hand and another

on his neck and worked my jaw.

"I promise

would know your mind about

said. "And things...

at that. I

Prince, aren't I? I am more than capable of leading this meeting. I am more than capable of

clearly against it, but Hayato's eyes seemed to fill

"Okay.

"Your Majesty-

his own part to play in the Convening, and if I cannot trust my

shoulder. "I will check in