The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride
Chapter 45

HERA

If anyone were ever to write a book about my life, three very crucial events will mark the turning points from which there was no return. The day my Father died.

The day my village was razed to the ground, everyone I loved burned to ashes with it.

And the day I wed the dragon king in the temple of the fire gods and became queen.

The dragonkin below erupt in howls and cheers as we turn around to face them, a rumbling sound that seems to shake the very foundations of the temple itself.

If they knew what I planned and my reason for becoming queen, I doubt they would be so quick to rejoice.

The crowd parts as we descend the steps, exposing the path between the burning pillars.

Tiny, sweet scented flower are tossed in the air from eager baskets, floating gently to land on our clothes, in our hair, at our feet until the path we walk is almost completely covered in white and yellow petals.

I force myself to walk with my head held high, keeping the semblance of a smile on my face.

Not too little so they do not think I am in mourning and not too wide that it seems fake.

Just the right amount that reveals nothing to the cheering crowd about how I may be truly feeling.

And through it all I can feel him beside me, my hand wrapped around his arm.

He seems different somehow.

Less angry, less wound up, almost like the happiness of his people is something satisfying.

I frown.

The idea that the feared, cruel Midas might actually be a good king has never crossed my mind and the realization is unsettling because it threatens to upsets everything I have grown to believe. We step out of the dark temple and I have to blink many times to adjust my eyes to the brightness of the world outside.

The day has flown by faster than I realized and the sun is already beginning its fiery, orange descent through the sky by the time we finally step into the carriage that will take us both back to the castle. The other dragonkin are beginning to disperse, heading back to the capital.

The festivities in the great hall will only be for the nobles and important guests of the king who also begin to mount their horses and carriages.

The door swings shut and our horses pull out behind the Ryders who have gone out ahead.

The nobles and other dignitaries following behind us on the journey back home

And for the first time since that morning two days ago, Midas and I are completely alone.

I sit with my hands in my lap, my gaze fixed stubbornly on the small window to my right watching the changing scenery and houses as we pass through the capital and eventually leave it far behind. He sits across from me utterly silent without even so much as a muttered word the entire time.

I want to look at him but I am afraid to.

The gentle swaying of the carriage is doing nothing to calm my nerves.

Our knees keep brushing up against each other in the small, confined space and every time it happens, small, flapping insects buzz around in my stomach.

Being this close to him in such a tight space is messing with my head especially since he is sitting there so calmly, completely oblivious to the turmoil of my racing heart and shot nerves.

I sneak secret, hopefully inconspicuous glances at him

Say something goddamit.

"You do realize that I am right across from you and can see you pretending not to look at me."

Skies...did I say that out loud or does being dragon king come with the ability to read minds?

"I was not pretending."

"Ah so what were you doing?"

I press my lips together and blurt the first thing that comes to my mind.

"Just wondering how hard it must be trying to avoid me even in such a tiny space."

I am beginning to realize that it is a good idea to think before I speak.

His expression does not change and the only indication that he heard me is an almost imperceptible movement of his left brow.

"What makes you think I have been avoiding you?"

"Oh please do not even try to deny it."

"I am neither denying nor confirming anything. I simply ask what made you arrive at such a conclusion."

But I am on a roll and I barely hear him. "You have not said a single word to me in days, you do not sleep in our room, you do not come down to dinner and all this ever since that morning after you saw me..." Suddenly the wheels roll over a large stone and the carriage jostles roughly, stealing the words from my mouth and throwing me from my seat and face first into the king's crotch.

If one could die of embarrassment...

He grips my arms firmly, catching me before I can lose whatever shred of dignity I have left and pulls me up and into his lap to steady me.

But he does not let go, instead his hands encircle my waist, strong and unyielding in a way that tell me I will not be going anywhere anytime soon.

He's staring at my so intently it makes my heart skip an actual beat.

"After I saw what?"

The way he asks the question, voice rough, eyes dark, tell me he knows exactly what it was he had seen when he opened that door.

Doesn't just know, he remembers... in exquisite detail.

I bite my lip and feel myself blush from the top of my head to the tip of my toes.

He lifts my chin with one finger, forcing eyes to meet his. "After I saw what Hera?"

The butterflies in my stomach have since become a stampede of wild animals.

We have left since left the smooth roads and rolling plains and are now on the uneven rocky path that is closest to dragon's mount on which the castle sits.

As a result of the rough road, the carriage keeps swaying more than it was before causing me to bounce about slightly in his lap.

The movement pushes my breasts up in his face and I feel a perverse sense of satisfaction when his eyes, half-lidded and heavy drop to them.

He lets out a quiet curse and forces himself to drag his gaze back to my face.

His hands, large and calloused slowly push my dress up, causing it to ride up my thighs.

"You are yet to answer my question."

To be honest talking is the furthest thing from my mind at the moment and it is starting to become increasingly difficult to keep a steady train of thoughts when he keeps looking at me like that.

The carriage rolls over the increasingly bumpy road as it ascends slowly up the mountain and I wiggle around in his lap in an effort to steady myself.

The only thing I succeed in doing is inadvertently rubbing my bottom back and forth over his crotch.

He inhales deep and sudden and I feel him harden beneath me.

One hand runs down the curve of my back, the other up my thigh to cup my a*s firmly and still my movements with a growl.

"If you do not stop doing that, we are not going to make it to the bedding ceremony."

His words send a thrill of excitement running down my spine.

But just as instantly, doubt creeps in.

But, what if I am reading this entire situation wrong and he is in fact still mad about what happened?

I look away. "Forget I mentioned it."

His brows draw together in a tiny frown that only serves to make him infinitely more attractive.

"Forget... How can I possibly forget when you are the only thing I have been able to think about in two days?"

I glance up at him, hating how tiny and unsure my voice sounds.

"So you have not been avoiding me because you were disgusted with me?"

His frown deepens.

"Why would you think I was disgusted?"

I shrug helplessly.

"I had just assumed..."

His grip tightens on my a*s and this time when I rub against the gradually increasing hardness of his c**k, it is because he is making me do it deliberately.

"Trust me Hera, I felt a lot of things when I stepped into that room and saw you...touching yourself...saying my name..."

"Yes...?"

I am nearly breathless now and I can feel a warm wetness beginning to pool between my legs.

He shakes his head like he is at a loss for words. "It was all I could do to stop myself from..."

"Stop yourself from doing what?" I wrap my arms around his neck.

My movements against him are slow and deliberate; tiny circular motions across the length of his arousal and the bulge straining the crotch of his pants grows even harder.

He groans and throws his head back against the chair. His voice strained, hands clenched in fists by his side.

"By the gods Hera, are you trying to kill me?"

I can see how hard he is fighting to remain in control.

But I want him to stop fighting. I want him to give in.

Just rubbing against him isn't nearly enough.

I want more. I need more.

I press my chest against him, can feel the way my n*****s harden to erect peaks.

There are way too many layers of clothing between us.

I increase the pace at which I am grinding against him and with another groan he buries his face in my neck.

"Gods above you smell f*****g amazing."

His teeth scrape across the sensitive skin there and I shudder and gasp at the shock that rushes down every inch of me. "Midas..."

And then the carriage stops.

Oh for Zeus' sake, you have got to be kidding me.

This time, as we ride through the castle gates, I am the one who groans in frustration.

I feel him smirk against my skin just before he plants a tiny, feather soft kiss in the hollow between my neck and shoulder.

"Patience Hera...patience. All good things come to those who wait."

"But I don't want to wait..."

His eyes drop to my mouth and his lips graze mine with the promise of what is to come. "Me neither."

I sigh just as the doors swing open and if the sight of me flushed and fluttered in the king's lap is unusual to the castle's inhabitants lined up in the courtyard then I barely notice it. Only one thing is on my mind at the moment.

How in all the 7 realms am I going to survive an entire evening of festivities while being this incredibly turned on?