The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride
Chapter 59

HERA

I know it before I am even fully awake, before I even open my eyes.

Without even needing to reach out and feel, I can just tell that he is gone and that when I do open my eyes, the other side of the bed will be empty.

It may be because for as long as I can remember, I have always had someone I had to share my bed or sleeping space with.

With my mother and my sisters when we had to squeeze into my grandmother's tiny house.

With my little brother when he and I had to huddle together under leaking, abandoned sheds to avoid freezing to death in the night.

And even with the other maids in the cramped up quarters that Averia's chamber maidens were given and forced to share.

I have always had someone there.

And in the times when I would jerk awake in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, I would hear the comforting, familiar sound of another person breathing beside me.

The gentle rise and fall of their chest confirming to me that I had indeed woken up and left whatever have troubled me in my dreams.

So, when I finally do open my eyes, and discover him gone, I tell myself that is why I feel this way.

That is unease and not disappointment that makes me feel slightly deflated at not seeing him.

and that the realization that once again, I have woken up alone does not bother me.

I sigh and stare up at the dark stain in the right hand corner of the wooden ceiling of my bed.

There is a pleasant, barely there ache between my legs and when I lift my fingers to my lips, they feel swollen by just the tiniest of bits.

It means I must not have been asleep too long.

But all the strangeness of the morning, the echoes of that horrible nightmare that had followed me around... all that, everything has faded into the background.

All that is left behind is a warm, buzzing sensation.

And it takes me quite a few moments to realize it for what it is;

satisfaction.

I have been utterly and thoroughly satisfied, taken to heights of pleasure I did not even know existed.

I allow a small smile pull up the corners of my mouth, basking in an afterglow so strong, that it is quite enough to temporally push away the guilt of what I have done.

I do not wish to get up, to even move, least I burst this wonderful bubble in which I seem to have found myself so warmly encased.

But I do know that sooner or later, I am going to have to deal with the fact that I have had mind-blowing s*x not once but twice with the very man I am supposed to destroy.

I sigh again and move to lift off the heavy coverlet that is over my body but my hands still, the cloth bunched up in them.

It is not a sound as much as it is a feeling, the sudden realization that I was wrong.

I am not alone.

There is someone else in the room with me.

No...not someone else...

I sit up slowly, pushing back on my arms so I can see the entire room fully.

And there, at the far end of the room, with his arms folded across his broad chest, sits the Dragon King.

Shoulders squared and back ramrod straight.

How in all the realms did he manage to fall asleep in such a position?

The chair is next to the fire place but just off to the side a little, blocked by the hanging drapes of my bed which is why I had not noticed him when I first started to get up.

I drink in the sight of him; stoic, unmoving and so impossibly handsome that it still manages to surprise me everything I see him

I breathe quietly, not daring to move, not wanting to wake him yet filled with the sudden urge to touch him, to run my hand through his hair and ask him why he is frowning even in his sleep. I needn't have bothered.

"You are awake."

Startled, my hands fly to my chest at the unexpected suddenness of hearing his voice.

I peer at him. His eyes are still closed.

How is he doing that... how does he know that I am awake?

"Your heartbeat, it changed."

I sit up, mimicking his position and folding arms across my chest to hide how impressed I am.

"Does being dragon king come with the ability to read minds?"

He says nothing in response and instead keeps looks at me with such a fierce intent and concentration that I can feel my cheeks starting to burn.

I look away first and start to chew on my bottom lip, catching myself at the last minute when he raises one brow as if in warning.

I clear my throat even though there is nothing in it that needs clearing.

"I am surprised to see that you are still here."

"You seem to have forgotten that it is my room as well."

"I am sorry my lord, I believe I may have gotten confused the day the servants came and moved everything of yours out."

"It does not matter. It is my castle so therefore every room is mine."

"Fair enough. And do you always sleep like that, sitting upright, in the many rooms that are yours?"

Including your mistress'

He unfolds his arms. "I was not asleep. I simply did not want to leave before you awoke."

My heart skips a beat and my insides fill with pleasant warmth.

I look away, blushing. "Why?"

"Because..." He leans forward, his elbows balanced on his knees. "...you are yet to answer my question."

And just like that the bubble bursts.

Of course.

Why did I even think....

I want to slap myself, maybe then I will finally realize that my life is not one of those fairy stories mother used to read to us and that while Midas might look like it, he is in fact no charming prince. Stupid...stupid...stupid.

I sigh. "I have told you why I left dragon king."

He gets up slowly. "You have told me why but that is not the question of which I speak and you know it."

I look away, pulling my pillow into my lap and holding it like it could somehow separate me from the advancing king.

"I do not know what it is you wish to hear dragon king but I...”

He is standing over me, filling my vision and blocking out the last rays of sunlight streaming in through my window.

"I will only ask you one more time Hera. How did you know what was going on in that alley?"

I swallow and force myself to raise my head and look directly at him.

"If I tell you I ran, that I was indeed trying to escape you and that was how I found them would you believe me and drop the matter?"

His eyes momentarily flash red. "No. But if you are trying to anger me then it is working."

My voice cracks. "Why...why won't you just let it go Midas?"

The answer he is looking for is buried in the darkest part of my soul.

A place...a place I have absolutely no desire to return to.

He leans in, one hand gripping the head of the bed behind me, caging me in.

"Why won't you tell me the truth Hera, what are you hiding?"

"I am not hiding anything."

But he is not listening. His eyes narrow suspiciously. "Who exactly are you?"

His voice has changed, the way he says the words, it frightens me, sets my teeth on edge.

"Who...I do not understand you. You know who I am."

"No, I only know what you have told me and as we are both painfully aware, you are quite apt at bending the truth."

"That is not fair Midas."

He shakes his head.

"You are trouble Hera, coming into my castle, changing things. I can smell it, sense it, even without the warnings of the kingmakers."

"What warnings...."

But he ignores me.

The man who had made love to me, who held me in his arms and kissed me until I shivered and shook...

That man is gone and the only thing left, the one gripping my chin firmly in his hand, eyes cold and gaze unflinching, is the dragon king, ruler of the 5th realm.

"Whatever storm it is that you are bringing into my realm Hera, whatever calamity follows you, I intend to stop it before it affects my people and you better pray to all the gods you know that you do not get in my way. My kingdom will always come first, do you understand that? Nothing else matters to me."

He says the last part quietly like it was meant more for him than it was for me but the words replace their mark.

I sniff and push away the hurt.

"Nothing else matters uh?"

His eyes drop away from mine and for one insane heartbeat, I watch him and tell myself that maybe he does not actually mean it in that way.

But then he straightens and looks down at me, whatever warmth I had once seen in his eyes is gone, gone like I had imagined it.

"Nothing else."

I scoff, turning away to hide the fact that I suddenly feel like crying.

"Then why...why do you even bother saving me if you are so convinced that I am nothing but trouble?"

He does not notice, does not care, does not bother to reply.

"Answer my question Hera."

I sigh and look up at him. "I have nothing more to tell you Midas."

The part of his eyes that is rimmed with red is growing larger, consuming another inch of gold.

"I have been quite lenient with you slave, do not push it any further."

I fold my hand in fists and hide them under my pillow, to hide how badly I am shaking.

Then I lift my chin defiantly to meet his eyes.

"Or what dragon king...will you try to kill me again?"

His jaw works and he clenches his fists.

One step closer and he is leaning in again, his breath hot on my face.

"No Hera, I will not kill you. But there are so many other ways I can get you to talk. It would be in your best interest to do so willingly."

When I still do not say anything, he straightens again.

"You have until tomorrow morning. The door will be locked and you will not leave your room until then."

"Midas..."

"Your maid will bring up your meals."

"You said I was not your prisoner."

"Tell me what I want to hear."

"I can't..."

He nods once and turns away from me.

"If you still refuse to tell me the truth come tomorrow, the door will remain locked until you are ready to come clean."

And then he walks away.

I throw off the covers, jump off the bed. "Is that why?"

He stops, his hand on the door. "What?"

"Is that why you made love to me? Did you perhaps think that it would soften me up to your inquisitions and your interrogations? Or maybe even make me willing...to tell you all it is that you wish to hear?"

I exhale, glaring at his back and struggling to keep the hurt from my voice. "Is that why?"

He does not turn to look at me but his voice is flat, expressionless.

"And if I say yes?"

My heart cracks.

Hurt and anger making me shake and filling my eyes with hot tears.

"You cold bastard."

He looks away, his grip on the door knob tightening. "You have until sunrise tomorrow morning."

He does not slam the door but the silence he leaves behind is worse.

Much worse.