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

watched from the bench as Tsuneo and Morgan embraced. Hearing my son's laughter eased some of the pain in my chest, but not the the guilt. The air was charged

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Hope.

maybe I could go back to that beautiful place with

He'd loved Haruka just as fiercely as I had,

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 chest, it was as if they had finally found their way back to one another. I was happy for them, even as the longing felt like it

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

still gnawed at me, even

for me to hear, and she smiled resting her head

care that there was anyone or anything else in the world. I pushed to my felt,

them have their reunion in peace and return

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

needed that sanctuary more

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

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have been in these tunnels. Few knew of their existence,

even gotten this far

chance to ready myself. Then, I froze in place,

breath caught in my throat. I stumbled back as if I had seen a ghost. As much as I wanted to run to her, I could

was in the garden, not that place. It wasn't possible.

of her

could

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