Page 136 of Courting the Dragon Prince

Luther blinked. But it made no difference. Whether his eyes opened or closed, the space around him remained black. “Then where are we?”

“My uncle collapsed the outcropping on top of us,” Onyx said.

A soft cry fell from Luther’s lips.

Onyx stroked his arms. “It’s all right. I managed to stop the rock from crushing us. I created a pocket beneath it. I’m maintaining the pocket. Nothing will fall on us. I won’t let it.”

Luther stretched and reached up above him with his arms, trying not to put weight on his smashed and aching leg. He pressed his palms against cold, hard, unrelenting rock. He slid his hands and fingers along the jagged, rough stone. A whimper escaped him.

It surrounded them. Surrounded them on all sides. He could feel the earth bearing down on him, weighing him down. His breath came faster.

“No way out. Buried alive,” Luther whispered. “Not dead yet. But soon. Buried alive.” He looked around. He blinked at nothingness. Nothingness and darkness. This was his death. His tomb.

The laughter started in his belly, bursting up out his throat.

“Luther,” Onyx gripped his arms.

“A fitting death.” Luther laughed and laughed until he felt dizzy and weak. “I escaped it once, but now it has caught up with me.” He laughed, hunching over, hands pressed to the earth.

“Luther!”

This would be his eternal resting spot. He laughed until tears ran down his face and dripped onto the dirt and the backs of his hands. “This is the death I deserve.”

“No.” Onyx squeezed his arms. “Don’t speak like that.” Onyx wrapped his arms around Luther, holding him against his chest. “This is not the death you deserve.”

“I led them to their?—”

“I know,” Onyx said so softly. “I know.” Onyx pressed kisses to his hair and face. “I know what you did. I heard all your words, your confession.” Onyx rained more soft kisses on Luther.

Luther tilted his head back, welcoming Onyx’s kisses on his face like raindrops on parched soil.

“So many died in the war, Luther. So many pointless deaths,” Onyx said.

Luther let himself sag against Onyx. If they were going to die, he’d take what comfort he could from the man he loved.

“I never led anyone during the war,” Onyx said softly. “But I know many who did. I know that small, insignificant decisions can lead to horrific outcomes and to so many deaths. You can’t be blamed for the death of the people you were in charge of.”

“I—” Luther began to argue.

“You tried to make up time so you could support the others,” Onyx pressed. “You made a decision. People died because of it. That’s war. It’s wretched. It’s horrid. But that’s what war is.” Onyx stroked Luther’s hair. “Before my mother lost herself to grief, I know she made decisions that led to thousands of deaths, for soldiers and civilians. My uncle did too. That’s war.”

Luther let his eyes drift shut, leaning into Onyx.

“That’s why the war has to stop. So people can stop dying pointlessly. So all the pain, the killing, the stupid fucking deaths, so all of it can just stop. That’s why we need this peace treaty.” Onyx’s hand stroked Luther’s back. “And I think you need to let all the blame you put on yourself go. Or at least try.

“That day, when we left the Mystic Mountain Temple to support the Voltaria army, someone suggested I stay back because my place was by my sister’s side,” Onyx said.

Luther opened his eyes. He hadn’t heard this part of the story.

“I didn’t want to stay back and sit around. I wanted to be part of the fight. After all, I was a warrior. So I left my sister.” Onyx let the words linger in the air.

“I have no idea if it would have changed anything. Perhaps me being there would have altered the day and she would have lived. But most probably, we both would have died defending the temple side by side.” Onyx paused. “I would not have left her to face the enemy alone, and she would not have left me. I’ll never know if my decision made a difference.”

“I’m glad you didn’t die that day,” Luther said.

Onyx paused. “I’m glad you didn’t either.”

“Even though I destroyed your temple?” As soon as Luther spoke the words, he wished he could take them back. He shouldn’t have reminded Onyx about that.