Page 31 of Courting the Dragon Prince (A Royal Arrangement #1)

Chapter Thirty-One

I n his room, Onyx shoved a few basic belongings into his pack.

He needed to get away from Luther. He needed to take a horse and ride out of the monastery towards the mountains. There were some on the island. He’d seen them from a distance. There, he’d hurl and fling rocks, smashing them until his anger, frustration, and rage towards Luther had been spent.

He’d probably be gone at least one day. Maybe two. Maybe a week.

Doing up his pack, he tugged it on his back and left his room. The servants he passed scuttled out of his way. Onyx’s anger was no doubt clearly etched onto his face.

Luther didn’t give a damn about Onyx. Or anyone. He cared about no one but himself.

Onyx had believed that Prince Luther, grandson of the Dragon Queen Hildegard who’d started the war, would be a self-centred, egoistic jerk. But Luther had far surpassed all Onyx’s worst assumptions.

How could Luther be so oblivious to the fact that Onyx, his spouse, had recently lost a sister? It was incomprehensible!

Onyx needed to get away. He couldn’t bear to look at the prince’s face or be anywhere near him. The man disgusted him. Repulsed him.

Onyx strode down the corridor.

Well, at least he’d consummated their marriage before finding out how truly revolting Luther was. Onyx didn’t think he could tolerate touching the man now. Onyx would rather be celibate the rest of his life than fuck Luther ever again.

He’d still hold to his vow. He’d be true to Luther in the manner of the earth elementals. He’d take no other to his bed. Onyx would uphold his beliefs.

And Luther could do whatever the fuck he pleased. Onyx didn’t care.

The man had no principles. No morals. No decency.

Right now, though, Onyx needed to get away from his husband.

A sense of guilt gnawed at him. Could he really just leave the monastery, the assembly, the negotiations, and his new spouse?

He didn’t feel guilty about the last part. Luther wouldn’t give a shit about Onyx leaving. He’d no doubt find others to keep him company. Onyx’s lip curled.

Onyx’s footsteps slowed as a horrible realisation dawned on him. Because he couldn’t get away. Not for long. They’d need to remain physically close to each other for the rest of their lives. He couldn’t leave the monastery and Luther for days. He’d need to remain near his spouse.

For a split second, he’d forgotten as his anger had raged inside him. Yesterday, he’d signed a marriage contract that bound him to remaining close to Luther.

Onyx wanted to scream.

He shook his head and began to walk again. He could at least get away for the day. He’d just need to return to the monastery tonight. Maybe he could even return tomorrow.

Maybe he could find the grand monk and ask how long he could be parted from his husband. Then he could stay away from Luther for that exact length of time.

But how would he go living with Luther for the rest of their lives? Limestone Castle in the Grey Mountains was big. Perhaps they could give Luther a section of the castle to live in. And Onyx would simply avoid that section forever.

Luther could be free to do whatever he wanted in his part of the castle. He could bring in lovers to simper and fawn over him, treating Luther like he was the centre of the world and like no one else existed. Just how Luther liked it.

And that was how they’d live together forever.

Before Onyx left the monastery, he would need to tell his uncle that he had to get away for a day. Maybe even the night. Hopefully, his uncle would understand.

Then Onyx would return to the monastery and continue being a dutiful heir. And he’d avoid Luther. And he’d keep avoiding him for the rest of his life. That was his new strategy to cope with being married to a man he hated.

He approached his uncle’s room, hoping the king and queen consort of Draconia had left.

A sound echoed down the corridor. Onyx’s heart clenched in his chest so hard his feet stumbled. He tripped, almost falling flat on his face. He righted himself and held completely still.

He turned and stared down the long corridor, not daring to draw breath, waiting to see if the sound repeated.

There it was! That sound again!

Onyx closed his eyes, the noise washing over him like a cherished memory that he’d somehow managed to forget. The sound cut into him, slicing like a knife to the bone as he stood there. His hands trembled. His eyes dampened.

Laughter. His mother’s laughter.

With a shock, he realised he hadn’t heard his mother laugh in years.

Grand Warden Amber had never been an individual who laughed often. She’d always been so serious and determined, like himself. After Tourmaline’s death had destroyed the grand warden, Onyx had missed his mother’s strength and support. He’d not known that he’d missed her laughter too.

Because she’d stopped laughing. And Onyx hadn’t noticed until he heard her laughter and realised he hadn’t heard that sound since his sister died.

Turning on his heels, Onyx sped in the direction of the tearoom. Then he heard another voice alongside his mother’s. Onyx frowned. Because that voice made no sense to him.

Still, Onyx raced to the tearoom. When he reached it, he paused in the doorway, trying to comprehend what he was seeing.

“Really?” Luther sat beside the grand warden in the seat Onyx had recently vacated. “They didn’t!” Luther leaned towards Amber Obsidian, holding a dainty porcelain teacup in his hands. Luther smiled at Onyx’s mother.

“It’s true,” Amber Obsidian said, voice rasping. “The poor keeper of the birds didn’t know what to do with the injured roc that Tourmaline and Onyx had brought into the castle. Those silly children just expected the keeper of the birds to tend to this massive bird as if it were some pigeon with a broken wing.”

His mother still sat slumped in her chair, limbs drooping. But her voice, although slow, slurred, and hoarse, had more life to it than Onyx had heard in years.

Onyx’s throat tightened.

“I have no doubt it was Tourmaline’s idea to bring it back. She had so much spirit,” his mother said. “She always dragged Onyx along on her adventures.”

Then her words hit Onyx. She was talking about Tourmaline.

He took a step forward, planning to change the topic and distract his mother from talking about Tourmaline as he usually did.

But Onyx froze. Because his mother had been talking about Tourmaline … and she’d been laughing. Talking about Tourmaline had made his mother laugh.

Onyx had always thought dwelling on Tourmaline would make his mother’s condition worse. Had he been wrong?

“She sounds like quite a handful.” Luther sipped his tea.

His mother chuckled. “Oh. She was. She was indeed.” His mother’s eyes shone. “So full of life and spark. So clever too. Always so clever.”

Tears fell, sliding down the grand warden’s cheeks. But still, she smiled.

“I’m sorry you lost her,” Luther said.

His mother reached out and patted Luther’s hand. “Me too. Me too. I miss her so much.”

They sat silently together. After several moments, his mother’s eyes drifted shut. Her breathing grew heavy, and her hand slid off Luther’s and dropped into her lap.

Luther looked up then, meeting Onyx’s gaze.