Page 2 of Courting the Dragon Prince

And despite all the pain and death caused by the war, Prince Luther didn’t appear to be suffering from it at all.

Not like Onyx. Not like his family.

Sharp grief flared inside Onyx, mixing with the fury churning in his gut.

Prince Luther so often smiled, laughed, and carried on as if the war hadn’t touched him. Was that why Prince Luther seemed to care so little about this treaty?

It was the dragons who had started the war. The least Prince Luther could do now was act properly to ensure it ended. Clearly, the man cared about nothing but his own self-centred interests.

Prince Luther was just as selfish as his grandmother, Queen Hildegard Drachen. She’d wanted the Kingdom of Draconia to grow in strength and size. She’d invaded the kingdoms that bordered Draconia, stealing land and resources.

At first, the five neighbouring kingdoms had not retaliated against their invaders, not wanting to start a war and fight against the force of the mighty dragons. But Queen Hildegard’s greed could not be sated. She’d kept invading, moving forces further into their kingdoms, taking over more farmland and villages.

The five invaded kingdoms had had no choice. They’d developed an alliance and fought back.

It was the dragons’ fault the war had begun.

It was the dragons’ fault that all the suffering, destruction, and spilled blood had happened.

It was the dragons’ fault Onyx’s sister was dead.

And Prince Luther didn’t even care.

Even after Queen Hildegard had died, the wretched war had raged on for years. Now, finally, after over twenty years of fighting, the six kingdoms were ready to negotiate for peace.

And to end the war, Onyx would do anything. He’d marry an arrogant dragon prince, the vile queen’s grandson. A dragon certainly as selfish and monstrous as his grandmother.

Onyx’s gaze fixed on the large dragon pin Prince Luther wore on his chest. All dragon shifters wore such a trinket. But Prince Luther’s was larger than most, made of gold and enormous sparkling emeralds.

Was this part of Prince Luther’s hoard? No doubt the greedy dragon had a hoard of jewels, gold, or some unimaginable riches locked away somewhere.

Onyx took a deep breath, trying to focus on why he was here and why he was marrying Prince Luther.

The war needed to stop before more lives were lost, before more of their soil was drenched in their people’s blood, before more of their sacred temples and land were destroyed by the evil dragons.

That was why everyone had come to the assembly at the White Monastery to create a peace treaty to end this war. Eight noble dragons would marry nobility from the five kingdoms they’d been at war with.

Still, Onyx wished his uncle, Warden Flint Obsidian, had organised a different marriage for him. From the start, Onyx had known he’d have to marry dragon nobility in order to seal the peace treaty. Still, he’d have preferred anyone but Prince Luther.

Onyx stopped before the grand monk. The elderly man dressed, like all the monks, in robes of plain beige. A white dove had been sewn onto the centre of the robes. Copper chains hung around his neck, symbolising the vows he’d bound himself to when he joined the monastic order and to show his role within the monkhood.

Prince Luther halted opposite Onyx.

“Your Highnesses.” The grand monk bowed his shaved head. He held out his hands in front of him. “Please clasp hands with each other.”

The dragon prince’s lip curled as he held out his hand. Onyx gripped it. Tight. Prince Luther grimaced. A sense of satisfaction unfurled inside Onyx.

The grand monk gazed past them over the crowded banquet hall. “In approximately one month, these two individuals representing the Kingdom of the Grey Mountains and the Kingdom of Draconia will marry. They will marry here in the White Monastery, binding themselves in a sacred covenant.”

The Monks of the Way of the Dove often performed diplomatic marriages like this. They practiced an ancient form of binding magic that would make the vows unbreakable. And if one did not fulfil one’s vows, it could result in illness, madness, and even death. They’d also be creating the peace treaty between the kingdoms.

The grand monk smiled at them. “Their marriage will be one of the eight that will herald a time of happiness and prosperity amongst the six noble kingdoms. And of course we hope for a happy and prosperous marriage between these two dignified nobles.”

Prince Luther scoffed. Onyx squeezed Prince Luther’s hand, and the prince winced, glaring at Onyx before yanking his hand free.

The grand monk’s smile didn’t waver.

Onyx suppressed a sigh. He had never said the words aloud, but deep in his heart, Onyx had always hoped to marry someone he loved or, at the very least, could come to love. His parents had had an arranged marriage. But they’d fallen in love at first sight. That was what his mother had told him.