Chained to old wounds

The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride

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Tsuneo

As I headed back to the main part of the palace, the weight of Tarofu’s words lingered in my mind. It wasn’t surprising that he felt that way. I could feel how painful the thought was for him. Being without Pyra for all this time, dormant at the back of my mind or however this worked, had been nothing short of torture. Their love was the basis for why my father had barely been holding on to life after my mother had died. It was why finding your phoenix was so important in the first place. To think that the other rulers of the Celestial Compass had been enemies before was something new. I walked to stand in front of the tapestry that detailed the history of the celestial realm and its relationship with the human realm.

I’d seen it a hundred times before, yet I had never suspected that there was so much more to the tapestry’s story, or that there was such a lie in it. From the anxiousness I felt from Tarofu, it was clear that there was a good chance that the issues that plagued the Compass still would.

If they had come for Pyra once, they would surely come again–and this time, the stakes were higher. Morgan was wrapped in this, and with the veil still up…

I frowned at that. The veil?

It won’t come down.

The queen used to be able to manipulate it.

Of course, but your Morgan and my Pyra are not in a state to do so.

My eyes widened. What does that even mean?

He chuckled. Let’s talk about it further after you have consummated your marriage, hm?

My face heated and I scowled, turning my mind away from the veil. I followed the colors in the tapestry until my eyes landed on the swirling darkness at the bottom of the tapestry. The power that

in pool, the black dragon’s essence, was going to be a problem. Was there a better way to hide

it?

They likely still wanted to control. The palace was so unstable at the moment, that there was a good chance that they already had a plan to get to it.

I felt unprepared, and I had no idea how to best start preparing to weed out the rest of the traitors. in the palace.

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When I reached the courtyard, I saw Morgan waiting for me, her arms crossed, the hint of a smile

at her lips as she looked at me with a bit of curiosity and concern. I could tell that she

had

thing on her mind, that she was turning over some problem in her mind. I was tempted

to ask what, but as she smiled at me, I pushed the thought away.

“How has your day been going?” she asked, tilting her head.

I exhaled and ran a hand through my hair. “It’s been… enlightening. There’s a hidden chamber, an old place that belonged to Tarofu. It holds the black dragon’s power–an ocean disguised as a puddle.

Her smile faltered slightly, her brow furrowing. “A puddle?”

“Yes.”

She chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s just… There’s a saying about dragons rising out of puddles, so…” She shook her head. “So how do you keep people from accessing it who aren’t supposed to? Does anyone else know it’s there?”

“Tarofu made it clear that the last war was partly over Pyra and partly over power–this power.”

Morgan walked closer, her fingers brushing against my arm as she stood beside me. “Then we’ll do whatever it takes to keep it hidden… There’s no chance you can absorb it or something can you?

I chuckled. “It came to mind, but he’s not saying anything about it… I’m going to assume that it’s

a last resort.”

She shuddered. “I don’t even want to know what he could possibly need an ocean worth of power

to do.”

“Me either.”

We stood together for a moment, sharing the quiet before the storm that we both knew was coming.

“I just wish… I began, pausing as I considered my words. “I wish I understood the true nature of what we’re up against. Tarofu… isn’t giving many details, and I know there’s more he’s not telling

me.”

Morgan squeezed my arm gently, her voice soft but steady, “Maybe he’s trying to give us time to be young, together… before dropping the realm on us.”

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I smiled, at the thought. “Maybe.”

A warm silence passed between us before I glanced back toward the palace.

“How about a snack or something? I need a break before we get back into everything.”

She nodded, her smile returning. “That sounds perfect.”

As we made our way inside, I couldn’t help but glance back down the hallway I had come through. It was now a wall, meaning the palace had bent to send me there and bring me to the garden. That was a small comfort, but something told me that it wouldn’t be enough to rely on that.

I took a deep breath. “What were you doing in the gardens? I was sure you had… meetings or something.”

She laughed. “Are you asking me if I’m slacking off? I laughed at that. “I finished up, and I wanted a breather. I needed some space to think and talk with Pyra. The gardens just happen to be quiet.”

“Well, we should come back. I could use the quiet, too.”

Morgan and I made our way through the palace corridors. I found a small group of staff who seemed thrilled to set us up with tea in the main gardens. It was one of the few places that remained untouched by the chaos of the past years. The air was cool, crisp with the scent of blooming flowers, and the gentle hum of bees filled the space around us. It felt like the perfect place to escape, even if just for a short while.

The table was already set beneath the shade of a grand oak tree when we got there. They’d set out a simple but elegant tea set and snacks–nothing too extravagant, which was just what we needed. A light breeze tugged at the tablecloth, making the silverware gleam in the midday sun. I pulled out Morgan’s chair for her, and she gave me a playful grin as she sat down.

“You know, it’s kind of nice having you be so chivalrous all the time,” she teased, her tone light. “I never thought I’d like it much.”

I smirked, taking my seat across from her. “Consider it the least you’re due for bringing such light

into my life.”

Her cheeks turned pink for a moment, and I smiled. Charmed at the sight. Tarofu stirred at the back of my mind, and I could almost see Pyra’s light flickering in her eyes.

She leaned forward, her elbows resting on the table as her eyes sparkled with amusement.

Do you plan to talk like this all the time, or is that Tarofu?”

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I snorted.

Think Tarofu is a bit more dramatic actually.” I smirked. “A poet, through and through. Me? Not so much. I struggled with learning the great poems.”

“Not the greatest student, eh?”