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

but not the the guilt. The air was

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Hope.

was hope that things would be okay. Hope that maybe I could go back to that beautiful place with Haruka and

just as fiercely as I had,

see him 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 them now, it felt even more obvious. The way he looked at her, the way Morgan's hand rested gently on his

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 push it down, but I couldn't. I thought of the dream again. I could almost feel her warmth in my arms. The guilt

still gnawed

too low for me to hear, and she smiled resting her head on his chest. It

smile that made me wonder if they even realized or care that there was anyone

reunion in peace and return to

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

I needed that sanctuary

the entrance to the passage, I

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CH111

No one should have been in these tunnels. Few knew of their existence,

even gotten this

I barely had a chance to ready myself. Then, I froze in place, stunned and haunted by

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

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

had of her was just

could

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 every step. The crown bounced off her head, clattering to the ground. The sound rang true, but still I back ed