Chapter 172: Retreat?

Ophelia felt a shiver run down her spine as she processed the conviction in Dominik's voice. The determination he exuded was unsettling. Was this fierce loyalty something Esteban had drilled into him, or was it something Dominik genuinely believed in? The crimson dragons of Fireria were nearly as powerful as the golden dragons, and while the hierarchy was clear, controlling crimson dragons completely was notoriously challenging. But as she stood there, facing Dominik, she couldn’t shake the feeling that his resolve was rooted in his own will, not just in the orders he had been given. "Nikolai Novikov is my husband," Ophelia finally spoke, her voice carrying a mix of defiance and curiosity. "Do you intend to protect me from him?" Esmeralda, who had been standing beside Ophelia, narrowed her eyes at the red dragon. There was something about him that she instinctively disliked, beyond his current mission to take Ophelia back to Fireria. Dominik closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, as i