Page 69 of Courting the Dragon Prince

Luther accepted the tea a servant provided him.

The king stared at Luther with his unflinching green gaze. It seemed Onyx wasn’t the only individual annoyed with Luther. But Luther didn’t meet Onyx’s or his father’s eyes as he drank his tea.

“These berry and vanilla cakes are truly delightful.” The queen consort smiled as she took a bite. “You should try one, Grand Warden.”

Slowly, his mother turned her gaze to the queen consort. She blinked slowly. “What?”

“The berry and vanilla cakes,” the queen consort said, louder this time. “They are divine. You really should try one.” She gestured to a servant, who placed one on a plate and handed it to his mother.

His mother stared at the cake in front of her for several seconds. “Oh. Thank you.” She sat up and took it. After a few moments, she picked up the small fork on the side of the plate and began to eat.

Onyx glanced around the room. His uncle stared blankly at the grand warden. The king and queen consort gazed at his mother with obvious pity in their eyes.

Thankfully Luther, although glancing briefly at Onyx’s mother, seemed too distracted or exhausted or whatever the fuck he was to pay much attention to the grand warden.

Still, Onyx’s cheeks burned.

It was one thing for his mother to act befuddled amongst the family but another to be seen by others, especially by the king of Draconia like this. After all, they’d been enemies not that long ago. They’d have once seen his mother’s behaviour as a weakness and sought to use it against them.

Onyx forced his shoulder muscles to relax. He took a deep breath.

We are at peace now. The war is over. We are no longer enemies.

Still, having them see his mother like this did not sit well with him. Not long ago, his mother had been a paragon of strength. She’d been terrifying and intimidating. No one would have dared give her pitying glances. She would not have tolerated it.

She would have ruled this entire peace assembly at the White Monastery. She would have ensured all the discussions and negotiations were completed to her wishes and exacting standards.

Now she sat, barely aware of her surroundings. Did she even know who she ate cake and drank tea with?

After all, these dragons had been responsible for her beloved daughter’s death.

“Thank you,” Luther said as a servant handed him a plate with a pastry.

Onyx’s attention turned back to his husband. Had Luther really been out fucking on their wedding night?

Trying to control his anger at the brazen insult, Onyx took another sip of his tea.

ChapterThirty

Fire and flames.

Luther suppressed a groan.

My body aches. My head aches. My father is glaring at me. Onyx is glaring at me. Again. Why is Onyx glaring at me?

The buzz of the alcohol Luther had drunk throughout the night had worn away. Now Luther was pretty sure he was just going through the hangover awake. He took a bite of some citrus pastry, trying to sit upright whilst wishing he could collapse in a heap on the floor.

He’d stumbled home after several hours of flying followed by several hours of dancing. Thinking himself so exhausted that he might actually be able to sleep for an hour or two, he’d headed to his room.

But Konrad had spotted him. “Father was looking for you,” Konrad had informed him. “He was annoyed when he couldn’t find you. You’ve apparently been invited to tea with your new husband’s family.”

Luther had quickly changed and practically run through the monastery to get to this blasted tea party.

And now he had to sit through Onyx’s glares. Was it because Luther was late? Had Luther known about this tea and forgotten? That unfortunately did seem likely.

Tired of Onyx’s glaring, Luther smiled brightly at Onyx. Onyx’s eyes narrowed.

Then Luther turned away, drank his tea, and ignored his husband.