Page 39 of Courting the Dragon Prince (A Royal Arrangement #1)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

L uther lay on his back as Onyx shut off the lantern. Darkness descended over the room.

They lay side by side, not touching. But Luther listened to Onyx’s slow inhale and exhale of breath. He could feel the heat radiating off Onyx’s body.

Not long ago, Onyx’s dick had been in Luther’s arse. Luther could still feel the stretch of him. And yet Luther couldn’t quite bring himself to roll towards and wrap himself around Onyx.

Luther stared above. His eyes adjusted to the darkness. No canopy hung above Onyx’s bed. Just a plain ceiling.

“Onyx,” Luther said into the stillness.

“Yes?”

“Will you hold me?” Luther forced a laugh. “I like to be held when I sleep,” he said, trying to sound flippant and like it didn’t matter.

For several long seconds, all was silent. Movement rustled the sheets. A hand wrapped around Luther’s wrist and tugged. Luther rolled towards Onyx. He pressed his face against Onyx’s chest, inhaling his earthy scent.

“Thanks. Like I said, I just like to be held when I sleep,” Luther said.

“It’s fine.” Onyx wrapped his arms around Luther.

Luther closed his eyes, relishing being in Onyx’s muscular arms.

After several minutes, Onyx’s breath evened out. Luther could feel Onyx’s heartbeat beneath his ear. Luther listened to Onyx’s steady breathing as the minutes passed. He matched his breath to Onyx’s. Slowly, a deep calm settled in his bones. At some point, sleep took him.

For hours, Luther slept deeply and peacefully in Onyx’s strong arms.

But soon, faces and voices swirled in Luther’s dreams, along with the sound of dragon wings beating and the cracking of rock.

Luther’s eyes snapped open.

He panted, staring into the darkness, trying to push the images and sounds away.

Beside him, Onyx breathed heavily, his arms still holding Luther. But suddenly, Luther had to move. He couldn’t stay still.

He wriggled from Onyx’s embrace. He collapsed onto his back and stared at the ceiling above. Rubbing his hands over his face, he tried to fight the memories. He squeezed his eyes shut as if that would keep them at bay.

But he never could hide from his past.

“Luther! Where the fuck have you been?” A glaring woman strode towards him.

Luther opened his mouth. Then closed it. He didn’t think telling Battle Commander Alleron that he’d been getting his dick sucked would be an acceptable response.

“The rest of the divisions in your battalion have already left for the mission,” Battle Commander Alleron snapped. “All except yours.”

“What? What mission?” Luther’s eyes widened. He shook his head. “It’s the battalion’s day off.”

“Change of plans,” she said. “We received new information and have been presented with an opportunity. As a result, your battalion has launched an attack. Follow me. I’ll fill you in as we go.” She strode across the field, glancing at him with disapproval. “Your division is already waiting for you. We almost sent them without you, their division leader.”

Luther kept pace with her, listening as she explained what their mission was.

Luther shouldn’t have taken off. But he’d not known there’d be a mission! Even though they had a day off, they’d been told to stay at camp just in case something came up. And Luther had stayed in the camp. He’d just been in someone’s tent.

Which meant that if the others had been looking for him, they’d have not known where to find him.

Guilt gnawed at his stomach. He should have been prepared for something like this.

He thought of the rest of the battalion already flying into battle. He thought of his friends, of his half-brother Barrett. He thought of how he and his division should be there with them, ready to support and fight alongside them.

Dragon gods, let them be safe.

Battle Commander Alleron left him as they approached his division. They’d already been briefed and were ready to go.

“The rest of the battalion will already be approaching the enemy target,” Luther said as he led his half-dozen warriors to the cliff’s edge. “They might already be in battle. We’ll cut through the mountain tunnels to make up time.”

“I don’t think we are meant to use the tunnels anymore,” Errol said.

Errol was Luther’s cousin and several years Luther’s junior. He’d been so eager when he’d turned sixteen to join the war and Luther’s division a couple of years earlier.

“What?” Luther turned towards him. “Why not?”

Errol shrugged. “I don’t know. I overheard someone talking about it.” He paused. “But maybe I misheard.”

Luther paused, trying to think. Had he been told something about this? Should he go and find out what was going on with the tunnels?

But they were already behind. The others in the battalion could already be in battle, could already be fighting, could already be dying.

Luther gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He shouldn’t have gone to get his dick wet. He should have been here, ready to go with the others.

His division stared at Luther, awaiting his orders.

They needed to get to the battle as soon as possible. Luther didn’t want any deaths on his hands.

“We’ve flown through the tunnels plenty of times without any issues,” Luther said. “And if we fly over the mountains, we’ll need to dodge the lightning and wind sorcerers. It will take us longer, and we’re already behind.” Luther nodded. “The tunnels will be quicker. We’ll go through the tunnels.”

Luther stared at the ceiling above him.

We’ll go through the tunnels.

Five words.

We’ll go through the tunnels.

Five simple words that had haunted him since the day he’d said them. Five words that would haunt Luther until the day he died.

In the darkness, he wished to hear a crack of stone and for the ceiling above to fall and crush him where he lay.

Luther closed his eyes, trying to force the visions away, trying to stop the pain.

But he deserved this pain. These nightmares. This was his punishment for what he’d done.

Luther’s breathing quickened. His throat dried. He tossed back and forth, unable to lie still. If he stayed here, he’d just keep replaying the worst decision of his life over and over again in his mind.

With shaking limbs, he slid out from beneath the sheets. Maybe he could just fly for an hour or two or three. Just enough to get the edge off, to exhaust himself enough.

Then maybe he could come back before Onyx woke. He could crawl back into bed beside him and curl up with Onyx without him noticing that Luther had left.

It had been silly to think that sleeping with Onyx would cure his sleeplessness and night terrors. It was silly to be disappointed.

But it had helped. He’d slept better this afternoon than he had in a long time. And again tonight. He’d slept peacefully in Onyx’s arms for hours. Until the nightmares had come.

Moonlight peeked in from behind the curtains. Using that light, he crossed to where the robes had been hanging. He reached for the robe and tugged it on. He walked towards the door.

The bed shuffled and creaked. A second later, the lantern flared to life.

“Luther, where are you going?” Onyx asked sleepily.