The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 134

CH134 Tsuneo

I frowned, looking at her. She wasn't looking at me. Tarofu chuckled as I realized what she meat I smiled and tugged her closer, enjoying the feel of her body against mine and pushing down. thoughts about what it would feel like with no barriers between us. "Practice in bed and courting are two very different things... One is certainly easier than the

other."

It was so very easy to convince a young woman into my bedroom. I was a crown prince. Even easier to bring her to pleasure, so long as she brought me pleasure, and I didn't have the habit o bringing anyone to my bed I didn't want there." "I wouldn't... know anything about that."

A surge of posessiveness went through me at the thought. I knew it was very likely, but I hadn't allowed myself to think concretely about the idea that I would most likely be her first.

"I promise... to make it unforgettable."

She stammered and I kissed her head, drawing her closer to breath in her scent. I didn't want to let her go. I didn't want to go back inside and work or be apart from her.

Was this me or Taorfu's longing for his wife? Maybe it was a bit of both. If I let myself, I could. sink into that feeling that the whole world had narrowed down to just us, standing beneath the cherry blossoms. "Tsuneo?" she said after a long pause.

"Hmm?"

"I know we've talked about it, but... do you think there's a chance that the past could repeat itself at the Convening?"

Her voice was quiet, thoughtful, the weight of her question pressing down on both of us.

Tarofu seemed to go still and anxious at the back of my mind, but I nuzzled her gently.

"If it does... Nothing will survive. Not even darkness."

She shuddered. My words felt heavy and true and terrifying as I knew they weren't just mine, but

10:10 Thu, Oct 24

CH134

took a deep breath, glancing up

really hoped it

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blossoms. I walked her to her office. and we lingered outside the door as if staying together would put off all the work that still had

"You're stalling," she said.

snorted. "So

lightly. The peaceful atmosphere was shattered when a guard appeared at the end of the hallway, his face pale and serious. Morgan went stiff and straightened, the shift in the air palpable. Whatever message he had, it wasn't good, "Your Highness," the guard said, bowing to us, his voice grave, "we've recovered Keiji's body. It was found in the

of it cutting through the warmth of the afternoon. I could still remember that night and the blinding rage of tearing him apart. It felt just as real now as it had then. I could almost

take care of it. She looked up at me

headed inside, and all I could hope was that that if Keiji really

will exile hiin, Tarofu said. His crimes are

if that was the only solution. Ari's betrayal, by comparison, felt almost I agreed, but I wondered if that was the

is the son of the man who tried to kill your father and that Ari wanted to leverage the child to take your wife's

I winced. Fair.

Elia was, but she was cunning enough. It was better to get rid of

turn and follow the guard through the palace halls. Dealing with Keiji's body was something I hadn't wanted to deal with. I had hoped that the pieces of him were mostly unrecoverable, eaten by

work. I traced my eyes, cataloging all of what had heen recovered. Save for the lost blood, it looked as though they had recovered every part of him down to his entrails and the shreds of the robes he had been wearing upon his death. "Dress the body ina new robe," I said. "If he wakes... it would be best to give him some manner of dignity

pale, drawn with terror

"And his sister?"

memories of that moment flashed in my

traitors of the

in her own grave box. We'll take them to the dungeons to see if they

I wasn't sorry. I would do it again without delay or hesitation. The workers moved slowly, respectfully placing Keiji's body into the grave box beside his sister's. Tarofu stirred within me, his presence a cold weight against

had to be done, he murmured, though his