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

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

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Hope.

would be okay. Hope that maybe I could go back to that beautiful place with Haruka and stay there next time without the guilt, knowing that Tsuneo

had never been one for outward displays of emotion unless in private. He'd loved Haruka just as fiercely as I had, and she

he'd woken up from the four-day coma, after all. Looking at them now, it felt even more obvious. The way he looked at her, the way Morgan's hand rested gently on his chest, it was as

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.

there, still gnawed

me to hear, and she smiled resting her head on his chest.

made me wonder if they even realized or care that there was anyone or anything else in the world. I pushed to my felt, feeling like

let them have their reunion in peace and return

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, either to visit Tsuneo or handle court affairs. These past five years, they had been a sanctuary for me, and

needed that sanctuary

reached the entrance to the passage,

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CH111

froze, 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

he have even gotten this

frantically, so fast I barely had a chance to ready myself. Then, I froze in place, stunned and haunted by what I was seeing. I

in my throat. I stumbled back as if I had seen a ghost. As much as I

It wasn't possible. I had to be

I'd had of her was just that-a

could she

heart raced as I took in every detail of her running toward me. Her short curly hair was a bit longer than she usually had it. It bounced with