The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 111

Bride

CH111

Tsuneo

Beautiful.

Breathtaking.

My Pyra....

Pyra... | blinked as the name, the word, rang through my mind. | had never thought about it. before, but it was an

old word for light and fire, generally meaning life-giving fire. It was generally our word for true, healing fire? ad it

becour word for healing because of what Tarofu called his wife? The stories said that when the phoenix died

so long ago, all life went cold and nearly vanished.

Slowly, her body floated and landed on the banks. The glow began to fade. Her face was serene and peaceful. |

reached out, my hand hovering between us. A wave of warmth washed over me, a comforting energy that

seemed to radiate from her. My feet draggedforward, drifting like a moth to a flame. Then, | reached her, my

fingers brushing against her cheek.

| felt a jolt of energy, a connection forming between us. Morgan's eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting mine, no

longer that rich brown, but glowing golden and red, like red-gold and molten

gold.

*Morgan?"

"Tsuneo," she whispered. 'l hope... you've been behaving with that troublemaker in your head."

I laughed, sweeping her into my arms.

"Don't ever do that again."

"lI don't plan on it... I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"Much better now."

Hayato

| watched from the bench as Tsuneo and Morgan embraced. Hearing my son's laughter eased sof the pain in

my chest, but not the the guilt. The air was charged with something | hadn't felt in a long time. | felt it

thrumming in my chest as | leaned forward and watched them.

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Hope.

There was hope that things would be okay. Hope that maybe | could go back to that beautiful place with Haruka

and stay there next twithout the guilt, knowing that Tsuneo would be okay,

Tsuneo had never been one for outward displays of emotion unless in private. He'd loved Haruka just as fiercely

as | had, and she was really the only person he'd ever openly embraced.

It was good to see him like this, but there was something different about him now, something | couldn't exactly

put my finger on. It may be that he's just stepping more into his position as the crown prince now that he had

Morgan, but | was wasn't convinced. It had started after he'd woken up from the four-day coma, after all. Looking

at them now, it felt even more obvious. The way he looked at her, the way Morgan's hand rested gently on his

chest, it was as if they had finally found their way back to one another. | was happy for them, even as the

longing felt like it would crush me.

I had buried my thoughts of Haruka, only to be visited when | was alone and could lay down my guard in the

privacy of my chambers, but that dream, that place, had rippedopen, unleashing the deep well of grief that |

had nearly drowned in years ago. Haruka's absence felt as acute and as heart-wrenching-as painful-as the

moment I'd found her body. | thought of Tsuneo's words, the confession, and tried push it down, but I couldn't. |

thought of the dream again. | could almost feel her warmth in my arms. The guilt of wanting to go back

there, to stay there, still gnawed at me, even now.

Tsuneo pulled Morgan into his arms, whispering something. His voice too low forto hear, and she smiled

resting her head on his chest. It was

the kind of smile that madewonder if they even realized or care that there was anyone or anything else in

the world. | pushed to my felt, feeling like an intruder.

I'd let them have their reunion in peace and return to my chambers.

Quietly, | slipped away, heading toward the hidden passageway that would takeback to my chambers. The

secret tunnels beneath the palace were as familiar toas the back of my hand. | had used them for years to

cto this garden or get around unseen in the palace, either to visit Tsuneo or handle court affairs. These past

five years, they had been a sanctuary for me, and right

now, | needed that sanctuary more than ever.

But just as | reached the entrance to the passage, | heard something-a sound that didn't belong. Running

footsteps.

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| froze, my hand instinctively going to my waist, but | was not armed. | couldn't even remember the last t|

carried a sword regularly. No one should have been in these tunnels. Few knew of their existence, and even

fewer had access to them. My mind raced, wondering who it could be. An assassin? A spy? One of Elia's agents?

How would he have even gotten this far into the place?

The footsteps grew louder, closer. Whoever it was, they were ming quickly, almost frantically, so fast | barely had

a chance to ready myself. Then, | froze in place, stunned and haunted by what | was seeing. | recognized every

detail on the robe, every piece of jewelry she wore. It was Haruka.

My breath caught in my throat. | stumbled back as if | had seen a ghost. As much as | wanted to run to her, |

could make myself go forward.

I was in the garden, not that place. It wasn't possible. | had to be hallucinating. She was gone.

Dead. The dream I'd had of her was just that-a dream.

So, how... How could she be here?

| swallowed past the dryness in my throat. My heart raced as | took in every detail of her running toward me. Her

short curly hair was a bit longer than she usually had it. It bounced with every step. The crown bounced off her

head, clattering to the ground. The sound rang true, but still | back ed away. Shaking my head.

This wasn't the first | had hallucinated seeing her. The palace had often shownmemories in the first weeks

since her death. But to see it now, felt cruel.

| was about to turn away, to close my eyes, but the running footsteps grew louder and faster.

"Please, stope," | whispered, my voice shaky, disbelieving. "I know you mean to comfort me, but

this is not a comfort."

It was torture.

| opened my eyes again, and before | could react, she was right in front of me, slamming intowith such force

that | stumbled backward. Her arms wrapped tightly around me, and the warmth of her body-the very real, solid

warmth of her-hitall at once. My feet slipped out from under me, and | barely had tto register what was

happening before we both tumbled into the pool behind me.

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The cool water rushed over us, but it did nothing for the heat of her body against mine. All | could feel was her.

Her lips crashing into mine with a kiss so fierce, so desperate, that | couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

It was her. She was real. She was alive. She was here.

Chapter Comments

Tammy Bunder

Of course Hakura is back, the pheonix had Risen!!)

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