The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 138

CH138

Morgan

""Wait!" She cried as I expected.

"Give me a reason why should. And it better include you coming quietly."

She hesitated. Then, the last remnants of her resistance crumbled. Mei's shoulders slumped, and for the first time, she looked as fearful as she should be. She was cornered, and she knew it.

"You'll regret this. I'll make sure of it."

"I'll take that as an agreement." I sheathed my sword and nodded at the guards.

As the guards moved to restrain her, I couldn't help but wonder how she expected this to work out. She had to have known that I'd already found out about the poison. If she didn't think I knew, then she had to think that I had suspicions. It was dicey place to be in, but why run?

She unlike some of the other ladies had a bunch of expenditures related to food. All she had to say was that she had eaten it all, secured it for her home territory, or negotiate to have it taken out of her future allowances. She must have panicked, or maybe she always planned to run and this had just given her a chance to..

Either way, I'm sure I'd find out soon enough.

The guards moved in swiftly, binding Mei's hands with enchanted shackles that glowed faintly in the darkness. Her eyes flickered with fury, but she said nothing as they led her back towards the capital. Her gaze was full of venom, burning with a defiance that told me she wasn't finished-not yet.

"You should have been burned to a crisp..."

"How do you expect to burn a phoenix?" I replied off-handedly.

I called for the horse and mounted it again following the group back towards the city. As I watched her, my mind raced ahead through possibilities and paths of action. Capturing her was the first step, but what was the next one? Elia had so many different points of contact with the royal household....

How had it come to this?

What exactly had Hayato done to make Elia hate him so much? Perhaps he just resented the fact

10:13 Thu, Oct 24

CH138

the

1:85%

was somewhat nice to know that the celestials had some of

done to make his concubines willing to

have asked the same questions of Goro, Adele, and my

of kindness could

I could almost sympathize.

streets now quieter under the evening sky. The tension hung thick in the air as

me this," I said, dismounting and walking to face Mei. "Given what I know about the king.

at first, but I could see the way her shoulders tensed. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, her lips curling into

that just because you're the Crown Princess now that you

felt heavy, but I wasn't certain that I could trust a thing she said. I kept my expression steady, though my thoughts

caught, why don't you

don't need leniency from

you will from my husband, and he's not a forgiving man." I smiled at her. "You saw what he did

what's the big deal? I'm a wife of the king I

being frivolous, but even if she had been she'd probably had permission to

just

CH138

She huffed.

care what

Mei, replied, my

at some point, one way or the other. It would be easier for you

to happen it would

was that the problem? Did you

She flushed. "Shut up!"

made that

"You don't know-

them is already giving him an

sharp breath. I watched her mind turn

to finally get it.

and clenched her jaw. "I don't

no need