Page 29 of Courting the Dragon Prince (A Royal Arrangement #1)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

A bsently, Onyx put on his belt. But his mind wandered.

He remembered the smoky smell of Luther’s skin, the sight of his arse turning red as Onyx had spanked him, the feel of sinking his cock into Luther’s tight hole, and the sounds of pleasure falling from the prince’s lips as Onyx had fucked him.

A knock sounded on Onyx’s door. Onyx cleared his throat. “Come in,” Onyx called out as he straightened his belt.

Warden Flint opened the door. “Onyx.” He glanced around the room, perhaps expecting to see Luther somewhere. His gaze returned to Onyx. “Did your night go well?”

“It did,” Onyx answered.

“And is the marriage consummated?”

“It is.” Onyx was unsurprised by his uncle’s direct question. His mother’s brother was a man of determination and focus. His mother had been like that once.

“Good.” Warden Flint inclined his head. “After you left last night, I invited the king and queen consort of Draconia to take tea with us late this morning. I thought it a good idea, as it will assist us in developing a closer relationship with Draconia.”

Onyx nodded. He couldn’t argue with his uncle’s logic.

Although, he did think it a little odd. What if he and Luther wanted to remain in bed the morning after their wedding? But of course, his uncle would focus on diplomatic relations above Onyx and Luther wanting to spend the morning fucking.

“Your husband of course was included in the invitation. I assume he is in his room.” Warden Flint raised his eyebrow ever so slightly.

“I believe so. I left him there last night before returning to my own.” Onyx paused. “Will Mother be attending?”

Warden Flint nodded. “She will. She is more alert than usual this morning. She is in her room, freshening up with the assistance of a servant. Tea will be in half an hour.”

And half an hour later, Onyx assisted his mother from her room to the tearoom, where she so often spent her days. Onyx wondered if his uncle should have suggested a different room to meet.

“Here you are, Mother, sit here.” Onyx helped her to her place.

She smiled at him. “Thank you, Onyx.” Her eyes held more alertness than they had in a long time. Her hair had even been tied up into a bun rather than hanging loosely around her shoulders. There’d been a time when she always wore her hair like this.

According to the servants, she’d had a few cups of lysithea tea the night before but nothing so far today.

Onyx took a seat beside her as his uncle entered the tearoom.

“Do you wish for the tea to be brought in now, Your Highnesses?” a servant asked.

“We will wait until our guests arrive.” His uncle took a seat and crossed his legs.

“Of course.” The servant bowed.

His mother stared out the window. Moments ticked by as they waited.

After several minutes, the door opened, and a servant entered and announced, “King Alaric and Queen Consort Adelina of Draconia.” The servant bowed.

“Good morning,” the king greeted as the two entered and took seats.

Onyx frowned. Where was Luther?

“We must apologise,” the queen consort said. “Prince Luther isn’t with us.”

A muscle twitched in the king’s jaw.

Where was Luther?

The servants entered, bringing the tea along with a trolly of dainty cakes and slices. They began to pour cups of tea and hand them out.

“Unfortunately, when I went to inform Prince Luther about taking tea together this morning, he seemed to have already left his room.” The king paused. “No doubt off to stretch his wings.” The king smiled tersely, as if not quite believing his own words.

Warden Flint took a cup from the servant. “That is no matter. Now that our families are united, there will be plenty of opportunities to gather.”

“True.” The king took a sip of his tea.

“It was a lovely wedding yesterday, wasn’t it?” the queen consort said to the grand warden.

But Onyx’s mother stared out the window, not seeming to have realised the queen consort was trying to engage her in conversation.

“It was,” Onyx said, smiling at the queen consort. Onyx glanced at his mother. At least she was here today and had been at the wedding ceremony yesterday.

But where was Luther? Had he gone out after Onyx left? Had he sought out Prince Elias or one of his other many lovers staying at the monastery?

Bile gurgled in Onyx’s stomach, and his fingers tightened on the porcelain teacup in his hand.

They’d signed the marriage contract just yesterday. Even if they’d not pledged fidelity, Onyx felt that fucking someone else on one’s wedding night was … rude.

And despite the state of their marriage, Onyx had thought the wedding night had gone well. He’d thought, at the very least, he’d satisfied Luther.

Apparently not. Onyx tried and failed not to feel humiliated and hurt by that realisation.

“How are you finding the weather here?” the queen consort asked his uncle.

“Pleasant enough,” Warden Flint said. “Although, I miss the mountains.”

“I can understand that,” the queen consort said.

Onyx drank his tea, not paying any attention to the stilted small talk, mind too consumed with thoughts of his husband and who he could be fucking at that moment.

The door opened. A servant entered. “Prince Luther,” the servant announced and bowed.

Luther stepped into the room. He pushed his messy hair back from his face. Bags hung beneath his red eyes. Whilst his clothes looked clean, they appeared askew, as if rather hurriedly put on.

“Apologies for being late.” Luther smiled tightly. “I didn’t realise we’d be having tea together this morning.”

He sat, with no explanation for where he’d been and why he was late.

Onyx held in a breath, trying to control his annoyance. Whilst it was true they hadn’t known they’d be having tea together, an explanation would have been appropriate.

Onyx sipped his tea. Had Luther really found Onyx so lacking in bed that he’d sought out one of his other lovers afterwards?

Luther accepted the tea a servant provided him.

The king stared at Luther with his unflinching green gaze. It seemed Onyx wasn’t the only individual annoyed with Luther. But Luther didn’t meet Onyx’s or his father’s eyes as he drank his tea.

“These berry and vanilla cakes are truly delightful.” The queen consort smiled as she took a bite. “You should try one, Grand Warden.”

Slowly, his mother turned her gaze to the queen consort. She blinked slowly. “What?”

“The berry and vanilla cakes,” the queen consort said, louder this time. “They are divine. You really should try one.” She gestured to a servant, who placed one on a plate and handed it to his mother.

His mother stared at the cake in front of her for several seconds. “Oh. Thank you.” She sat up and took it. After a few moments, she picked up the small fork on the side of the plate and began to eat.

Onyx glanced around the room. His uncle stared blankly at the grand warden. The king and queen consort gazed at his mother with obvious pity in their eyes.

Thankfully Luther, although glancing briefly at Onyx’s mother, seemed too distracted or exhausted or whatever the fuck he was to pay much attention to the grand warden.

Still, Onyx’s cheeks burned.

It was one thing for his mother to act befuddled amongst the family but another to be seen by others, especially by the king of Draconia like this. After all, they’d been enemies not that long ago. They’d have once seen his mother’s behaviour as a weakness and sought to use it against them.

Onyx forced his shoulder muscles to relax. He took a deep breath.

We are at peace now. The war is over. We are no longer enemies.

Still, having them see his mother like this did not sit well with him. Not long ago, his mother had been a paragon of strength. She’d been terrifying and intimidating. No one would have dared give her pitying glances. She would not have tolerated it.

She would have ruled this entire peace assembly at the White Monastery. She would have ensured all the discussions and negotiations were completed to her wishes and exacting standards.

Now she sat, barely aware of her surroundings. Did she even know who she ate cake and drank tea with?

After all, these dragons had been responsible for her beloved daughter’s death.

“Thank you,” Luther said as a servant handed him a plate with a pastry.

Onyx’s attention turned back to his husband. Had Luther really been out fucking on their wedding night?

Trying to control his anger at the brazen insult, Onyx took another sip of his tea.