The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 136

CH136 Morgan

"I've passed that on to Tsuneo. He said that there's a list of sworn guards who can be trusted, and he'll work on getting the others sworn in or incarcerated to be investigated. "That will go for the staff, too. Everyone will be thoroughly screened, and the palace's defenses

will be restored before then."

Maya and Anya took note, before we could move on, a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in."

The door creaked open, and two guards entered.

"Your Majesty," one of them said, bowing respectfully, "we are ready to accompany you."

Was it that time already? I guessed so.

I nodded, standing from my chair. "Thank you. Maya? Anya?"

They stood as did Jun who hurried ahead to get back to her room before we arrived at the harem.

We walked down the long corridors, the flickering torches casting eerie shadows on the walls. My footsteps echoed against the marble floors, matching the rhythmic stride of the guards.

We stopped at the first door, and I nodded to the guard. He knocked firmly.

A moment later, the door opened, and Lady Maro appeared, her face still pale from dinner. I met her gaze, watching the resistance and irritation war in her eyes.

""Lady Maro."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she stepped aside, allowing us to enter. Inside, there was a table piled with jewelry, gowns, and various other luxuries she had purchased with the extra funds.

there," she said

the guards and the small group of staff who had come with us. Maya and Anya directed them on how to pack it up and separate

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she said nothing more. As I turned to leave, I noted that her servant was glaring at me openly. For a moment, I wondered if she was also a part of all of

left her room and continued down

went smoother than I thought

servant. Who

brought her own staff from her family's home. They

'I'll need to look into them. She seemed rather bold to be glaring at

arrived at Lady Mei's quarters, and the door stood slightly ajar. A frown tugged at my lips. From what I knew of her, it would be

the flicker of a few candles left burning on a table near

called out,

guards, my instincts kicking in. I stepped

'Search the room."

space. I stood near the entrance, my senses heightened. The longer I stayed,

of place. Just as his

gray smoke erupted from

the room in seconds. I could barely see two feet in front of me as I coughed, the acrid scent stinging my lungs. It wasn't poison it seemed. I suppose when she went back for the vial, she couldn't afford another dose for whatever this

CH136

I shouted, my voice

room, heading toward the window. I lunged forward, my hand reaching out just as the figure moved, but the smoke made it impossible to see clearly. I heard a soft thud and a scuffle of feet,

breath, I turned back toward the

the window.

to the other half of the guards. "Send out a search party. Lock down

stepped back into the hallway. I hadn't imagined that she would make it this easy

toward the nearest open window. The cool evening breeze hit my face, helping to clear the

I asked. "Was she an active

anything she's always been