The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 121

The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

CH121

Morgan

Tsuneo seemed a bit troubled by what I was saying, but for a while we said nothing. After a moment, Tsuneo eventually walked away to tend the fire. I watched Tsuneo, as he tended to the fire, and I couldn't help but feel the weight of everything pressing down on us. Pyra stirred within me, her presence faded to the back of my mind. It wasn't just the Convening that loomed-it was the uncertainty of how much control we truly had over our own lives now that we were tied to Tarofu and Pyra.

As I sat on the couch, I looked back to how we got here. It was strange, thinking back to the beginning, when we were strangers, deeply suspicious of each other, and now, we were united in ways neither of us could have predicted. It was a bit funny. With the Convening coming. everything felt more surreal. Pyra's odd silence unnerved me, and I had begun to wonder what exactly she was hiding. She didn't feel duplicitous. She didn't feel like a liar. If anything she seemed fearful, but I still wasn't sure what she was so worried about. I didn't want to admit it out loud, but there was a growing fear inside me-what if whatever she was so afraid of affected me irreparably? Death came to mind, or pure annihilation. Maybe she'd take over my body and I wouldn't be me anymore. The thought made my stomach twist.

I was fearful, but the fear felt a bit hollow. Like a part of me knew it was unfounded. In some ways... weren't we the same person?

1 groaned.

"Thinking too hard?" Tsuneo asked.

"This not knowing is irritating. The fact that she's dead silent now, isn't making it better."

"I'll talk to Tarofu tonight," he said. "We need answers. I suggest you try to do the same. We can't go into the Convening blind, let alone beyond that

I nodded. "But Tsuneo... Are you assured that he's being honest with you?"

"What?"

"What if they don't tell us everything? What if they've already made up their minds, had some plan in the works?"

"If they've made up their minds to do... whatever it is. It would be best to figure out what the plant

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"I don't get the sense that it

glad you

""You don't?"

certain... It's... weird having this whole section of my mind, my motivations, my moral compass that I can't

be... Human existences are far

we're

leaned against him. "It

through this," Tsuneo said, squeezing me close. I looked up to see the fire dancing

his

eyes locked on mine. His gaze was calm, steady, but I could see the weight of the situation in his expression. "Whatever Pyra and Tarofu are planning, we'll figure it out. We at least have each other, hm?" I nodded, though the worry still gnawed at the edges of my thoughts. "I know. It's just... the Convening is coming so

regretting sending my

a little bit. It

me and steered me toward

them tonight, and we'll do whatever we have to. For now, we

nodded, grateful that he seemed so

I felt the

Tsuneo

hurts just thinking about all of this," I said with a sigh. She

into bed. As Morgan settled down into sleep beside me, the weight of the day's events seemed to grow heavier on my mind and body. I was tired, exhausted in a way I hadn't

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CH121

was still an

the lanterns. She had been through so much, and there was still so much more to come. The Convening of the Celestial Compass loomed over us like a dark cloud, its implications more complex than either

out, her fingers brushing

it out,"

hand a gentle squeeze.

both closed our eyes, letting the exhaustion of the day

dreams. It was the grand temple at the heart of the dragon kingdom, its towering pillars reaching up

the center, there was that dark pool

And I wasn't alone.