Page 71 of Courting the Dragon Prince

But from the look in Onyx’s gaze, he didn’t believe Luther’s lie. “Luther?—”

“Just leave me alone.”

The grand warden coughed.

Luther glanced past Onyx. She still sat in the tearoom. She held a glass containing what must be the tea she’d ordered. Strangely it was a bright purple. “Go be with your mother. She looks like she could use the company.”

Onyx looked back in time to see his mother sip her purple tea. His shoulders tensed.

“Is that what she does every day, sit here alone and drink tea? Is that why she’s never at any functions?” Luther chuckled. “She seems as dull and lifeless as you.”

Onyx spun towards him. “What did you say?” Onyx snarled.

Any more teasing words died on Luther’s tongue.

Rage burned in Onyx’s gaze. “How fucking dare you!” he said, voice cold and dangerous.

Luther’s eyes widened. What had he done? He’d insulted Onyx a thousand times. But the earth elemental had never reacted like this before.

It must have been the comment about his mother. But why would that upset Onyx so much? Luther hadn’t thought he’d said anything so bad.

“How dare you mock her. After everything you and your family have done to her and my family, how fucking dare you!” His voice trembled with suppressed wrath. Onyx stepped towards him.

Luther took a step back, no idea what Onyx was talking about.

Onyx’s whole body shook. His hands clenched into fists by his sides.

Luther prepared to defend himself if one of those fists swung at him. “What did we do?”

A muscle twitched in Onyx’s jaw. Disbelief flashed across his face, replacing the fury. “You don’t know?”

Luther opened his mouth. No words came out.

Onyx’s face twisted. “My sister died. Killed during a dragon attack. Did you not know that?”

Luther blinked. Did he?

He searched his memories, and as he did, he thought he vaguely remembered hearing about the heir to the Grey Mountains being killed. But he couldn’t remember when or how.

“Since then, my mother has been lost to her grief, drinking lysithea tea almost constantly. She’s addicted to the stuff.” Onyx laughed, a bitter choking sound. “And you didn’t even fucking know. It’s not a secret. None of it is. Everyone knows my sister died. Everyone knows what happened to my mother afterwards. Everyone pities the great grand warden, now a husk of who she used to be.”

“I knew about your sister,” Luther blurted. “I just forgot.”

“You … you forgot?” Onyx choked.

“I mean …” What the fuck did Luther mean?

Onyx shook his head. “You don’t really care about anyone or anything but yourself.”

“That’s … that’s not true,” Luther said weakly.

But he couldn’t help but wonder if it was. Because even when the war had ended and he had been engaged to Warden Onyx from the Grey Mountains, he’d not asked a single question about his betrothed and his family. Nor had he considered how the war might have affected Onyx.

“You really are a selfish prick, aren’t you?” Onyx’s dark gaze bore into him.

Luther dropped his gaze. He couldn’t answer that. How could he?

Onyx shoved past him. Luther grunted and stumbled. He watched his husband stride away.