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 son's laughter eased some of the pain in my chest, but not the the guilt. The air was charged with something I hadn't felt in a long time. I felt it thrumming in

1/4

CHÍ

Hope.

that maybe I could go back to that beautiful place with Haruka and stay there next time

unless in private. He'd loved Haruka just as fiercely

like this, but there was something different about him now, something I couldn't exactly put my finger on. It may be that he's just stepping more into his position as the crown prince now that 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

well of grief that I had nearly drowned in years ago. Haruka's absence felt as acute and as

still gnawed at me, even

whispering something. His voice too low for me to hear, and she smiled resting her head

kind of smile that made me wonder if they even realized or care that there was anyone or anything else in the world. I pushed

reunion in peace

I slipped away, heading toward the hidden 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 garden or get around unseen in the palace,

needed that sanctuary

to the passage, I heard something-a sound that

2/4

CH111

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 could be. An assassin? A spy? One

would he have even gotten

froze in place, stunned and haunted by what I was seeing. I recognized every

throat. I stumbled back as if I had seen a ghost. As much as I wanted to run to her, I could make

wasn't possible. I had to be hallucinating.

dream I'd had of her was just that-a

how... How could

longer than she usually had it. It bounced with every step. The crown bounced