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

at the Elders with a question

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

him if the Elders and

They sputtered.

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

never experienced a

""That's beside the point.

his heir and his Council for the preparations unless you are

be focusing on her. You have not been married for long. You have

clenched my fists, my anger rising. "My wife will be fine," I

"She is strong, she is resilient. And if the Elders had not allowed the monitoring of trade to become so

eyes but fear. They didn't care what happened to Morgan, but they didn't want to

One of the Elders insisted. "She

no talent for healing,"

"Son."

I looked at him.

""Is she?"

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CH99

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 to her own greed. You have born the brunt of all

neck and worked my jaw. The golden dragon

Hayato hesitated. "I promise not to kill any

that. "I would

said. "And things... will change

at that.

better, father. "I am your Crown Prince, aren't I? I am more than capable of leading this meeting.

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

"Okay.

"Your Majesty-

if I cannot trust my

will check in with you in