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Tsuneo
The water pulsed and turned warmer as if in reply. At least I meant you could hear me. I sat down with a sigh.
The loneliness was overwhelming. Without Morgan by my side, the palace felt empty and lifeless. I was starting to understand why my father said that no dragon was meant to be alone. Once I hadn’t been bothered by solitude. I had craved it, enjoyed it. Now, the thought of being alone was
unbearable.
“I’ve been spending most of my mealtimes with Kai,” I said. He misses you as well… I’ve arranged tutors for him and they say that he’s a bit behind, but catching up quickly…
He didn’t inherit his smart from his mother…
I laughed. You may be right.
“He’s attempted to teach me some game he learned. It’s distraction enough for now. But it won’t
be for forever.”
I sighed and stood. “I will come back this evening. Perhaps then we could talk a bit.”
Even just hearing her voice would be nice.
I left the pools and threw myself back into repairing the palace. How much of the palace had actually been damaged in the attack five years ago, But I was glad to have something to occupy time e aside from spending time with Kai. Palace staff came to help me, but I waved them off.
my
“I need you aff to be keeping the palace running as it is and preparing for their arrival.”
They left me with materials and went back to their stations.
How exactly am I meant to do this?
Tarofu laughed and took over. It was like watching myself in a dream. The shadows melted and drifted over the materials they’d left. The stones danced as if carried by the wind. Before lining up and reforming the fallen walls. Water and silt followed, glimmering with crushed gems.
Gemstone inside the walls?
You will understand when it’s done, but the short version is that the gemstones act as magical
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stores. It’s why there was so little damage in the first place and what gives the palace its
sentience.
We worked for fours, restoring the palace wall, and that was only the first part of the repairs that needed to be done based on the images that Tarof had shown me of what the palace looked like
before.
We swept through every room that had been affected by the explosion. I took note of what needed to be repaired and replaced in terms of furniture to bring it up with the Liter over the palace’s
budget.
But no matter what I did, no matter how busy I made myself, I couldn’t shake the feeling of emptiness. I missed Morgan, I longed for her return. And with each passing hour, my hope seemed
shakier.
I finished the last of the repairs Tarofu wanted to make before lunch and headed to the kitchen, planning to have a quick meeting with the staff to check in on their progress and pass off a few more shopping requirements before they went to the market later.
As I crossed the palace grounds into the central palace courtyard, I was met with a scene I hadn’t expected.
The members of my father’s harem were harassing the palace staff, their voices raised in anger and frustration. What they were so angry about, I had no idea, but I was about to find out.
Tarofu was already irritated and seemed ready to spill blood at the sight. I was hard pressed to deny the desire to punish them for their stupidity.
The servants cowered before them, their faces pale with fear. I couldn’t believe my eyes. These women, who were supposed to be examples of grace and refinement, were behaving like savages.
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