"What if we want to leave?" Serena asked, and Asher also turned to look at the Dragon Queen, Valeris.
"Hmm, then you can use the Teleportation Portal," she replied. "Just infuse it with mana and think of the place you wish to visit. The portal will allow you to travel freely. However, I have placed a mark on you both—when my baby wakes up, it will call you back."
With that, she closed her eyes and, within moments, was fast asleep.
Asher and Serena exchanged glances before sighing in unison.
"Well… that escalated quickly," Serena muttered, rubbing her temple.
"Tell me about it," Asher groaned, running a hand through his hair. "One moment, we're investigating a stolen dragon egg, and the next… I'm suddenly a father?"
Serena chuckled. "Yeah, and your 'wife' is the Dragon Queen herself. Congratulations, family man."
Asher shot her a glare. "Don't start."
She just smirked before glancing at the sleeping Valeris. Despite her overwhelming power, the dragon queen looked oddly peaceful in her slumber. The baby in her arms snuggled closer, his tiny form rising and falling with each breath.
"So, what now?" Serena asked, stretching her arms.
"For now, we take her offer. Rest up, recover, and then figure out our next move," Asher said. "We still need to figure out who originally stole the egg and why. This whole thing feels bigger than just some underground auction."
Serena nodded. "And that empire she destroyed… Something tells me there are going to be consequences for that. If word gets out that an entire imperial family was wiped out by a dragon, the other kingdoms and empires won't just sit still."
"Exactly. Which means we need to prepare."
Serena yawned. "Then let's get some sleep first. No use worrying about it when we're exhausted."
With that, they made their way to the room Valeris had assigned them. Inside, the walls gleamed with gold and jewels, but the soft beds looked welcoming after the chaos of the last few days.
Asher collapsed onto one of them with a sigh.
"Goodnight, 'papa,'" Serena teased before flopping onto her own bed.
"Go to sleep, Serena," Asher groaned, throwing a pillow at her.
Her laughter echoed in the room before sleep eventually claimed them both.
Hours passed in peaceful silence before Asher stirred awake, instincts alerting him to a presence nearby. His crimson eyes flickered open, scanning the dimly lit chamber. At first, everything seemed normal—Serena still slept soundly in her bed, and the baby dragon lay curled in Valeris' arms, both deep in slumber.
But then he felt it—a faint ripple in the air, like a subtle shift in space itself.
"What was that?" Asher mumbled as he looked around, his Sanguine Supreme ability running at full throttle, covering Serena in protective concealment while scanning the room to detect the disturbance.
"You're not fully alert," a soft voice said.
Asher froze as he felt something brush against his hair—a faint whisper of movement.
His body tensed, but his eyes widened slightly as he felt delicate fingers trace the side of his face, as if mapping his features.
"Who are you?" Asher asked, voice firm.
The figure in the dim light chuckled softly. "I am Melina, the personal maid of Lady Valeris," she said smoothly. "And I am quite surprised to find humans sleeping on my lady's bed."
Asher frowned. "But she told us this room was for us. It's her decision," he said.
Melina tilted her head slightly, her silver eyes gleaming. "It was indeed meant to be empty… but I was unaware of it until I returned from my travels, only to find that Lady Valeris was missing."
Her voice carried a subtle edge, and Asher could tell she was already wary of them. Read latest chapters at Novel~Fire. (n)et
Serena, still partially hidden in the shadows, slowly stepped forward. "She's not missing," she interjected. "She's sleeping in the next chamber with her son."
Melina's eyes flickered toward Serena, then back to Asher. A brief pause hung in the air before she sighed. "I see. Then, I suppose I'll have to verify things myself."
She turned, walking toward the door, her movements graceful and eerily silent.
Asher and Serena exchanged a glance. Something about this woman felt off.
As Melina reached for the door, Asher narrowed his eyes. His instincts screamed at him—something wasn't right.
"Wait," he said, stepping forward. "Before you go, answer something for me."
Melina paused, tilting her head. "Oh? And what would that be, human?"
Asher folded his arms. "If you're really Lady Valeris' maid, then why didn't she mention you?"
For the briefest moment, a flicker of something unreadable passed over Melina's face. Then, she smiled. "Lady Valeris is a dragon. Her thoughts are not yours to question."
Serena, standing beside Asher, tightened her grip on her weapon. "That's not an answer."
The air grew thick with tension.
Melina sighed, shaking her head. "You humans are truly troublesome," she murmured. Then, before either of them could react, she vanished.
Asher's eyes widened—his Sanguine Supreme ability flickered in response, detecting a sudden shift in the mana field around them.
"Serena, move!" he barked.
Serena barely managed to block as a thin, dark blade materialized inches from her throat. Sparks flew as her weapon clashed against it.
Melina reappeared, her expression now cold and calculating.
"You shouldn't have questioned me," she said.
Her presence warped, and suddenly, the entire room changed. The walls darkened, the air buzzed with mana, and the temperature dropped. It was an illusion—no, more than that.
"A domain?" Asher gritted his teeth.
Melina smiled. "Lady Valeris may have trusted you, but I do not."
She raised her hand, and shadows coiled around her fingers like living serpents.
"I will test you myself," she said.
And then, she attacked.
Asher barely had time to react before Melina disappeared again.
A blade whistled past his cheek, a razor-thin line of red blooming against his skin. He twisted, his Sanguine Supreme flaring to life. His vision flooded with mana traces, tracking Melina's movements through the shifting domain.