Page 23 of Courting the Dragon Prince

“Thank the dragon gods!” Konrad interrupted. “I get to choose which decaying corpse to marry. I get some input regarding which undead creature I must bind myself to for the rest of my life.”

Their father narrowed his eyes, clearly at the end of his patience. “They are not undead.”

“No. They just resurrect the dead to fight as skeletons, zombies, and corpses.” Konrad paced back and forth. “They are pure evil, Father. All of them. Why can’t you see that?”

“You forget we need peace too, boy. Or did it slip your mind that our bloodline is weakening?” The king’s voice turned icy cold. “Did you forget that my eldest grandchildren are dragon runts?” The king stepped towards his eldest son.

Konrad lowered his gaze. But Luther could see the anger still simmering in his eyes. “I have not forgotten.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Even after their grandmother had died, their father had continued the war she had started. Then, in the last handful of years, something had changed in their kingdom.

In Draconia, not all individuals were dragon-born. In fact, it was relatively rare. The ability followed along bloodlines. The royal bloodline was one of the strongest and had always produced powerful dragons.

Until now.

Dragons shifted for the first time when they hit puberty. But almost all the dragons who’d come into their power in the last few years, those born during the war, had been dragon runts—that was, dragons who were far smaller and weaker than average. They also struggled with shifting back and forth. There were cases of young dragons who’d become stuck in their dragon form for weeks.

He’d heard whispers in the Castle of the Dragons, people saying that the dragons were being punished for having started the war. For their hubris to think they could invade other countries and take their land just because of their superior strength.

At first, their father had ignored all reports, saying that sometimes weaker dragons were born. “It is regrettable, but it happens,” his father had said.

Then his two eldest grandchildren, twins, had shifted for the first time four years ago. Both were dragon runts. The first dragon runts ever in their family history.

Their father’s resolve had wavered.

Then his next eldest grandchild had failed to come into his power as he passed through puberty. He could be a late bloomer. It happened sometimes. But it had never occurred in a bloodline like theirs. If he didn’t come into his powers soon, he would be the first direct descendant of two dragons who had not inherited the dragon power in known history.

Faced with the threat to his lineage, his father’s resolve had crumbled. Luther wondered if it was as the lightning and wind sorcerers said: the balance of magic in the kingdoms was off.

The dragon king had opened peace negotiations with the five kingdoms. Although, he had not shared the news of his descendants’ weakening powers with any of them.

His father had always planned to marry his children to other dragons to strengthen the bloodline. The fact that the king had agreed to marry four of his children to those who weren’t dragons showed just how worried he was. Of course, since Luther’s father had so many children, no doubt he’d ensure all his younger children married dragons to continue the strong dragon lineage.

But first, he had to fix whatever had gone wrong.

“We have to end this war before our bloodline weakens further.” King Alaric’s gaze swept the room. The weight of his gaze settled on each of his children. “So I expect you all to focus on what needs to be done. On your duty.”

Luther swallowed as the king stared at him. He wanted to lower his gaze. But he didn’t dare.

He thought of what Senta and Gerard had said. Could he try harder with Warden Onyx? Did he not fulfil his duty by intentionally aggravating his betrothed?

Finally, the king looked at Konrad, who for now remained silent. “We need the bloodline to be repaired. For Draconia. That is all that matters.”

ChapterEleven

“Good morning,” Luther greeted Warden Onyx as he climbed into the carriage and sat opposite him. “Did you sleep well?”

The warden narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Luther. “I slept fine.”

Luther had been thinking over what Senta and Gerard had said about trying not to irritate his betrothed. And he’d thought about what his father said about doing what needed to be done.

So Luther had decided he’d make an effort and stop needling Warden Onyx. Instead, Luther would be charming and be on his best behaviour today and try to win his future spouse over.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Luther smiled his most dazzling smile.

Warden Onyx did not return it.