Page 41 of Courting the Dragon Prince

Neither he nor Luther had corrected the assumption that they were merely lords. No need to cause more fuss.

“You rid us of the snailsandyou pay for our drinks!” Magnus’s eyes widened. “May peace soar within you!”

An older woman clutched Luther’s wrist. “So many of our people have been afraid to work in the fields near the snail cave. We’d worried we’d need to abandon all that wheat and let it rot where it stood.”

Murmurs of agreement followed her statement.

“We’re glad we could be of service.” Onyx inclined his head.

“And how many giant snails did you say you faced?” A young boy leaned forward.

Luther took a deep breath. “When we entered the cave, creeping along the dark tunnel, we had no idea any snails were present at all,” Luther once again began the tale.

He’d told it several times now. Every time someone entered the inn, they were keen to hear the story. And those who’d been in the inn for a while appeared eager to hear the tale again and again and again.

Luther improved with each retelling, getting more animated and adding extra details and flare. In another life, Luther might have made a good bard.

If Onyx had been on his own, he’d have arrived at the inn, told them about the snails’ defeat, and either bought or rented a horse to get back to the White Monastery. He’d not have bothered to stick around and talk to the villagers.

Onyx gazed at the crowd. He was glad they had.

The villagers were amazed at the fact that Luther was a dragon and Onyx was an earth elemental. Although, they seemed more interested in the whole dragon thing. Dragons seemed to impress people more than earth elementals.

Onyx didn’t mind. He didn’t particularly like being the centre of attention. So Onyx sat on his stool, drinking his ale and listening to Luther once again weave the narrative of their victory over the disgusting snails.

Honestly, it impressed him how well Luther seemed to get along with these villagers with whom he had so little in common.

Once again, Onyx found himself reassessing his belief that Luther was just a selfish, greedy, and egoistic prince.

They spent the next couple of hours drinking in the inn. Over time, the villagers’ attention turned away from them.

Mistress Fisher brought them bowls of a hearty fish stew, thick slices of a dark bread, and freshly churned butter. They gobbled it down, having worked up quite an appetite.

“We’re glad the monks sent you,” Mistress Fisher said. “The warrior monks are nice enough. But all rather dull.” She laughed. “They wouldn’t join us for a drink and a yarn.”

Onyx swallowed. “But the monks usually deal with any issues you have?”

“It’s part of being a half-brethren.” She nodded. “They always look out for us.”

“What does that mean, being a half-brethren?” Luther asked.

“Well, we take vows,” she said. “Nothing like the monks do, of course. But we pledge to always work towards peace. We sign in some book with ink mixed with a tiny drop of our blood. Then we become half-brethren.

“Then we live on the island, pay taxes, obey their rules, and they provide us with protection and assistance when we need it.” Mistress Fisher refilled their mugs. “All in all, it’s a pretty good deal. It’s peaceful here on the island.” She laughed. “It’d be upsetting if it wasn’t peaceful, considering the monks are always going on about peace.

“Every now and then, a monk will come and give a speech on it here in the village.” She lowered her voice. “It’s pretty boring, actually. And long. But if that’s the price of not being overrun by bandits, I’ll take it.” Mistress Fisher chuckled and went off to serve the other customers.

A woman pulled out an old hurdy-gurdy. She held the instrument in her arms and began to turn the crank with one hand whilst pressing the keys with the other. A rich, lilting melody filled the inn, mixing with the talking and laughter of the villagers. Several rose to dance.

Luther stared at the woman on the hurdy-gurdy, nodding in time with the music.

Onyx watched him. “I’m surprised. You seem well at ease here, considering you’re a prince.”

ChapterNineteen

Onyx leaned back against the bar.

Luther turned to look at him. His eyes narrowed.