Attraction

The wind howled through the broken walls of Chung Kingdom, carrying the scent of ash and blood. Fires still smoldered in the distance, casting an eerie glow over the shattered remains of what once stood proud and unyielding. Soldiers marched through the streets, their armor stained with the dust of battle, dragging survivors from the ruins. Among them, shackled and stripped of her silks, was Chung Subin.

Her wrists were bound with rough rope, the fibers biting into her flesh with every stumble. She kept her gaze fixed on the ground, unwilling to meet the eyes of the conquerors who sneered and spat as she passed. Her father's banners lay trampled in the mud, crimson and gold smeared with dirt and footprints. The once-mighty emblem of her family now lay forgotten, just as her kingdom had been.

"Move faster," a guard snarled, shoving her forward. Subin staggered, knees hitting the ground. Pain shot through her legs, but she did not cry out. Tears were a luxury she had abandoned long ago.

They led her to the towering walls of Lee Kingdom's castle-its spires piercing the clouds like daggers. The gates groaned open, revealing the sprawling stone fortress that would become her prison. Word of her capture had spread quickly. Servants whispered, nobles smirked behind raised fans, and the guards called her traitor as if it were her name.

But it was not their eyes that cut the deepest. It was hers.

Lee Hyeri stood atop the grand staircase, her gaze sharp and unyielding. Draped in silks of midnight blue, she was every bit the image of ruthless royalty. Her lips curled into a smile that did not reach her eyes as Subin was dragged before her, forced to her knees at Hyeri's feet.

"So, this is the last princess of Chung," Hyeri mused, circling her like a predator savoring its catch. "Not much left of your father's pride now, is there?"

Subin clenched her fists, the rope burning deeper into her skin. She would not give Hyeri the satisfaction of her tears. Not now. Not ever.