Page 17 of Courting the Dragon Prince

Everyone except for Onyx and Prince Luther, of course. Since neither wanted to marry the other. But that was the sacrifice they had to pay to end the war.

Onyx kept glancing towards the main entrance to the ballroom. Perhaps he should go and check on his mother himself. But what if she was already on her way? What if they passed each other accidentally?

He’d wait. Surely she’d come. She’d promised.

Onyx rubbed his hand over his face.

How had it come to this? His mother had ruled their kingdom competently for over thirty years. Now it was like none of that mattered. Nothing mattered to her but her grief for her lost daughter.

Not even Onyx mattered to his mother anymore.

Prince Luther’s laughter broke Onyx from his gloomy thoughts. Onyx’s hands curled into fists as the resentment choked him.

And there was his betrothed, looking radiant and like nothing ever bothered him at all. He had not a care in the whole bloody world.

Gritting his teeth, Onyx strode towards Prince Luther and his siblings.

“We all must do as Father commands.” Prince Luther’s back was to Onyx. “It’s just unfortunate I have to marry someone with the personality of mud and the appearance to match. Of cou?—”

“Good evening, Warden Onyx,” the dragon heir, Prince Konrad, cut his younger brother off. “How are you tonight?”

“I am well. Thank you, Prince Konrad.” Onyx inclined his head.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Prince Luther turn towards him. He didn’t even have the decency to look embarrassed. He stared at Onyx with a bored expression.

“That is good.” Princess Senta Drachen smiled at him. “And we are all very well tonight too. Aren’t we, brother?” She nudged Prince Luther.

Prince Luther shrugged, all mirth and laughter gone from his face. He lifted his goblet to his lips and took a sip, avoiding looking at Onyx.

What an arrogant little shit!

“My father was looking for your mother earlier. Has she arrived?” Prince Konrad asked.

“She was held up. But she will be here shortly.” Onyx glanced towards the ballroom entrance once again.

“Barrett! Prince Ash,” Prince Luther called out, the excitement returning to his voice.

Two individuals came towards them. Whilst Onyx knew Prince Ash Rosewood, a nature mage of Botanial, he hadn’t actually met Lord Barrett Morton, Prince Ash’s husband. But he knew who he was. After all, the marriage between these two had been the first of the eight marriages to seal the peace treaty. And Lord Morton had almost been killed during his wedding. Thankfully, they both looked well now.

By the way Prince Luther clapped Lord Morton on the arm, the two must be very familiar. Onyx’s gaze fixed on Prince Luther’s hand that lingered on Lord Morton’s arm.

Were the two fucking?

But no. Surely not. Lord Morton had just married. And the two newlyweds looked happy together.

Prince Luther didn’t bother to introduce Lord Morton to Onyx. And Prince Luther turned his back on Onyx, making it practically impossible for him to join the conversation.

Onyx bristled. Although, he should probably expect nothing more from the bratty prince.

“And don’t you look radiant tonight, Prince Rosewood,” Prince Luther said. “You’re such a lucky man, Barrett. I wished I’d won the competition and won the fair prince’s hand in marriage.”

Prince Rosewood blushed, and Lord Morton chuckled, neither appearing particularly offended by Prince Luther’s comment.

But Onyx clenched his jaw.

“Lord Morton and my brother served together in the same battalion during the war,” Prince Konrad explained to Onyx, clearly trying to smooth over his brother’s intentionally rude behaviour. “And my brother was also a leader of one of the divisions in the battalion for a while. Although, Lord Morton was not in that division.”

Why couldn’t Onyx have been married to Prince Konrad? Because although Prince Konrad might be a dragon and a descendant of the vile Queen Hildegard, he knew how to behave properly. Onyx respected that.