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

glancing up at the sky visible through

hoped it didn't

86%

falling blossoms. I walked her to her office. and we lingered outside the door as

"You're stalling," she said.

"So

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

weight of the news settling over me, the cold reality of it cutting through the warmth of the afternoon. I could still remember that night

care of it. She looked up at me

hesitated, but nodded and headed inside, and all I could hope was that that if Keiji really could revive, he wouldnt be hellbent

exile hiin, Tarofu said. His crimes are to

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

to kill your father and that Ari wanted

I winced. Fair.

Elia was, but she was cunning enough. It was better to get rid of the problem before it became a real one that I couldn't handle as

to 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

lay Keiji's remains, waterlogged and bloodless, but not so pale as I could not imagine that there was no chance this would 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

pale, drawn with terror and

"And his sister?"

and grave box. The memories of that moment flashed in my mind the black smoke, the desperate need to get

them were traitors of the worst

in her own grave box. We'll take them to

quietly, and I watched with an odd sort of detachment. They were my siblings, but I wasn't sorry. I would do it again without delay or hesitation. The workers moved slowly, respectfully placing Keiji's body into the

be done, he murmured, though his words brought