The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 2

The stories said that the Dragon King had fallen into a deep sleep, and in the years since, the regent of the

empire had been bringing in human girls to find a true queen. It was dumb. | had always thought it was just a

scare tactic. It wasn't like they demanded girls from the upper class for the trial.

| closed my eyes, remembering a cousin who had been brought back. There was no way even to tell it was

actually her. | shuddered, knowing that | would end up the sway. | sighed, trying to push that thought away,

watching the mountains ccloser. They towered over the forest, casting a shadow over the forest. When the

caravan stopped, | slipped out of the caravan and straightened my spine. There was nothing there but the

opening of a cave. My heart hammered against my ribs like a hummingbird. Lightning cut through the sky, and

the air shook with thunder. The rain hadn't stopped since the funeral began.

Other caravans pulled away. There were at least fifty young women gathered at the top of a hill. My caravan was

the last one to arrive. A unit of stoic people in armor with eyes like embers were there. We walked to join the

procession down the stairs toward the large entryway on top of a stone platform. It was gilded and pouring out

heat and light. The chamber was carved of stone that gleamed with veins of gold and bronze. As we reached the

platform, it was clear that the light inside the passageway was pure fire. The closer we drew, the more the fire

started to turn bright blue.

Panic clawed at my throat, and | watched the two flanking the passageway of fire drag a young woman forward

and drag her to the passageway. She shrieked. The scent of burning flesh filled the air.

Everyone ahead ofscreamed and scattered. | didn't move. | didn't even react to the feeling of one of the

armored attendants grabbing my arm. It was chaos. | couldn't breathe from the scent of the burning flesh. The

charred bodies were pushed aside as everyone in front ofwas forced to the passageway. They dragged the

bodies aside, and my stomach turned. | felt sick. The attendant holdingpulledcloser to the stairs.

The screaming stopped as the last girl fell to the ground in a burst of flame. Every step brought the fire closer. |

was pulled up to the entryway. | looked at the attendants on either side of the entryway. The scales on their

necks glistened in the light, and the swords gleamed.

"Walk forward, or you will be forced."

The attendant shovedforward a step. | closed my eyes. The heat passed me. For a few moments, my eyes

were filled with light. | heard the thunder rumbling in my mind. A beast rose over me. It was covered in golden

and jade scales. It was beautiful. Then, it vanished. | opened my eyes to a beautiful foyer covered in gold and

jade scales, just like the dragon. Every part of it was bathed in an ethereal, otherworldly glow. Moments later, a

pair of armored attendants appeared. Their jaws dropped seeing me. Then, a flute and harp started to play like

something out of the stories my dad told her about the Dragon King's palace back when the realms were still

connected.

They stammered before bowing slightly.

"Your Majesty, please allow us to show you the way."

People poured out of the rooms, all of them dressed like the attendants but unarmored. They stared at me. They

whispered, but | couldn't make out any of the words. Someone grabbedfrom behind and marched me

forward.

What did | do now? | tried to pull free from them, but they didn't budge.

"Will I... be taken to His Majesty?"

"No, Your Majesty."

"Don't callthat-"

"--his sister is currently visiting him. For now, we will show you to your room."

"I don't have a room here."

"You passed the Trial," he looked at me. "You are the queen."

| shuddered at the thought. I tried to dig in my heels, but they kept pullingalong. The attendants hauled me

upstairs.

"The East Wing is the Queen's wing," the attendant said. "Currently, there is only one maid, but that will change

soon."

The attendants opened the door and pulledinside. It was beautifully decorated in jade and gold. A young

woman about my age with short, curly hair looked up. She jumped up and looked tense. She was bronze-toned

and clearly nervous. "This is Maya," one of the attendants said. "She is the maid currently assigned to your

wing."

She curtsied and bowed her head.

"Please prepare her to be presented to His Majesty."

Maya nodded, bowing her head. The attendants left. Maya looked apprehensive.

I smiled. "I... don't suppose you know if there's a way around the guards?"

"Your Majesty, you really--"

"It's Morgan."

"It's a pleasure to serve you, Your Majesty. Let's.... find you something appropriate to wear."

"I don't plan on staying," | said.

"You have a way around the guards?" Maya asked.

"Not yet."

She smiled. "Then, let's get you changed."

| followed her into the bathing chamber. It was beautiful. She sat on the edge of the tub and pushed a set of

stones aside. Water gushed into the tub, and the air turned humid around us.

"You'll need to watch out for Lady Ari. She is His Majesty's adoptive sister. She is a foundling that's been raised

with him as a lady of the imperial court by the former king." She opened a bottle and poured liquid into the bath.

| crossed the room and sat on the edge of the tub as well. "She's cruel and cunning. Don't trust anything she

says."

"Presenting a proper front would go a long way toward making this easier for you," Maya said softly. "And... the

only way out is through the passageway, though now that you've passed the Trial... you're well... changed."

| set my jaw. The robe Maya picked out was spun out of jade and gold. | got a concealed sword that was

apparently tradition. | put the short sword my father had givenon the dresser. | gave Maya one of the robes

out of the closet that was too big forto replace the ragged robes she was wearing. It was a soft peach and

gold that complimented Maya's skin tone.

"Thanks," | said. "Consider it an apology for not staying around."

Maya ledout of the room and out of the wing. We met the attendants in front of a deep black door. The

attendant opened the door. The room was lavish, decorated in red and gold. On the large bed lay a man. He was

tall and dressed in a black robe. His long hair was bound in a braid. She stayed at the foot of the bed. It was

close enough to see his face. He was bronze-toned and handsome. He may have been asleep for centuries, but

he looked young. There were smudges on his neck.

"Your Majesty, please--"

The doors behind her flew open, banging on the wall. | turned around. A woman with scales at the corner of her

eyes and dark hair pulled up into a complicated-looking knot decorated with jewelry stood in the doorway. She

was dressed in blue that seemed threaded with gold.

She glared at me. "Who the hell are you letting into my brother's chambers?"

This must be Ari.