The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 111

Bride

CH111

Tsuneo

Beautiful.

Breathtaking.

My Pyra....

Pyra... I blinked as the name, the word, rang through my mind. I had never thought about it. before, but it was an old word for light and fire, generally meaning life-giving fire. It was generally our word for true, healing fire? ad it become our word for healing because of what Tarofu called his wife? The stories said that when the phoenix died so long ago, all life went cold and nearly vanished.

Slowly, her body floated and landed on the banks. The glow began to fade. Her face was serene and peaceful. I reached out, my hand hovering between us. A wave of warmth washed over me, a comforting energy that seemed to radiate from her. My feet dragged me forward, drifting like a moth to a flame. Then, I reached her, my fingers brushing against her cheek.

I felt a jolt of energy, a connection forming between us. Morgan's eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting mine, no longer that rich brown, but glowing golden and red, like red-gold and molten

gold.

*Morgan?"

"Tsuneo," she whispered. 'I hope... you've been behaving with that troublemaker in your head."

I laughed, sweeping her into my arms.

"Don't ever do that again."

"I don't plan on it... I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"Much better now."

Hayato

my chest, but not the the guilt. The air was charged with something I hadn't felt in a long time.

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Hope.

be okay. Hope that maybe I could go back to that beautiful place with Haruka and stay

one for outward displays of emotion unless in private. He'd loved Haruka just as fiercely

he had Morgan, but I was wasn't convinced. It had started after he'd woken up from the four-day coma, after all. Looking at them now, it felt even

that dream, that place, had ripped me open, unleashing the deep well of grief that I had nearly drowned in years ago. Haruka's absence felt as acute and as heart-wrenching-as painful-as the moment I'd found her body. I thought of Tsuneo's words, the confession, and tried

there, still gnawed

his arms, whispering something. His voice too low for me

was anyone or anything else in the world. I pushed to my felt, feeling like

let them have their reunion in

passageway that would take me back to my chambers. The secret tunnels beneath the palace were as familiar to me as the back of my hand. I had used them for years to come to this

I needed that sanctuary more

I reached the entrance to the passage, I heard something-a sound

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my hand instinctively going to my waist, but I was not armed. I couldn't even remember the last time I carried a sword regularly. No one should have been in these tunnels. Few knew of their existence, and even fewer had access to them. My mind raced, wondering who it

would he have even gotten this far

chance to ready myself. Then, I froze in place, stunned and haunted by what I was seeing. I recognized every detail on the robe, every piece of jewelry

back as if I had seen a ghost. As much as I wanted

not that place. It wasn't possible. I had to be hallucinating. She was

The dream I'd had of her

How could she

a bit longer than she usually