Page 52 of Courting the Dragon Prince

“This is important!” Onyx growled. “Why don’t you get that? Why can’t you be serious for once?”

“I don’t know. Why can’t you stop being an arrogant cockhead for once?” Luther shot back. “You’re such a mountain climber,” he muttered.

“How is that even an insult?”

Luther lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “You’d know if you could fly over mountains.”

Onyx took a deep breath, clearly trying to calm himself.

But Luther wasn’t having any of that. “I forgot to ask, how was your night in the inn? I must say, I had a lovely night here.”

The clouds above parted. Luther tilted his head to the sun, letting the rays of light warm his skin.

“I had some wine and chatted with my siblings about the quest. Then I soaked in a bath infused with lavender oil with little jasmine flowers floating on top.” Luther smiled. “Meanwhile, servants brought me plates of deliciously roasted pheasant, so tender and juicy. Then they presented fresh strawberry tarts. I drank some excellent wine. Then I slept like the dead.”

The bath part was true. The pheasant and tarts were mostly true, except they’d been the remains from dinner and not in the best condition when brought to Luther.

And Luther had not slept well. That was definitely a lie.

But he had gotten very drunk on very good wine. After that, he’d paced around his room, muttering to himself, kicking furniture, cursing Onyx, and drinking more wine until he passed out.

“I slept fine at the inn.” Onyx straightened his shoulders. “Mistress Fisher keeps the rooms well. She provided me with a hearty breakfast, and she sold me a horse. The ride back to the White Monastery was very pleasant. There is so much lovely countryside on this island.”

Luther’s eyes narrowed. That wouldn’t do. He wanted Onyx seething. He wanted to make Onyx as mad and miserable as Onyx made him.

Luther spotted Elias Storm, the lightning prince, surrounded by several others from Voltaria.

Inspiration struck. Luther smiled his most flirtatious and seductive smile. He lifted his hand and waved.

The prince smiled and waved back.

Beside him, Onyx stiffened. “You need to stop flirting with him.”

Bull’s-eye.

Onyx could pretend all he wanted that he didn’t desire Luther. But if that were true, why did he get so jealous?

“Why should I?” Luther tossed his wavy hair.

“Because you and I are in our courtship period. You are betrothed to me,” Onyx bit out. “If you show public interest in him, it undermines the marriage and thus the treaty.”

“But he is so much fun and such great company. And so very handsome,” Luther gushed. “I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

Onyx clenched his fists. Luther could practically feel the annoyance radiating off Onyx. Luther drank it in. He could get drunk off Onyx’s jealously.

Luther’s smile widened. “And he looks so lovely today. The patterned blue jacket with accents of black and silver suits him so perfectly. And I have to say I love those voluptuous trousers. They are so delightful! And that cropped jacket really shows off Elias’s slender stomach.” Luther paused as if lost in admiration.

Onyx growled low in his throat. “Elias? You’re on first-name terms?”

Excitement skittered along Luther’s skin. Luther had never used the prince’s first name before. He was glad he had!

“After what Elias and I have gotten up to, it wouldn’t be fitting not to use his first name.” Luther smiled at Onyx.

Onyx glowered.

“He’s been so kind as to keep me company the past couple of weeks.” Those were more lies. Luther got along with the lightning prince. They spoke in passing. And Luther definitely found him attractive.

But right now, his entire interest in Prince Elias Storm was in making his betrothed lose his mind with jealousy. “Perhaps I’ll approach him now. I find myself quite bored with the current company I keep, and he is always so attentive and charming.”