diadem | hyunho

19. traitor

HYUNJIN:

"For the last time Min, you're not going to the zoo! Your fashion choices are simply outrageous!" I sigh, exasperated by my 30 minute long hunt to find Minho a good outfit for a visit to the neighboring kingdom. You'd think he'd have better standards, being a Royal and all.

"Come on Hyunjin, this'll do just fine," he whines like a kid. Unfortunately for him, I'm not going to be seen with my husband dressed like a forest ranger.

"This is-"

BOOM!

We glance at each other before immediately leaping out of our seats. This was way too loud of an explosion to be something small. Minho gets out a pair of daggers which he had kept on him for emergencies, handing me one. It was made of silver, adorned with tiny yellow gems and intricate carvings. It was a beautiful piece.

He opens the door, revealing a hysterical Seungmin. The usually calm and composed, no-nonsense advisor was having a full blown panic attack.

"WEREGONNADIEWEREGONNADIEOHMYGODMINHO-"

"CAN YOU PLEASE SHUT UP FOR A MOMENT? I CAN'T HEAR MY OWN THOUGHTS!" Minho screeches. Once we get Seungmin to take deep breaths and calm down a little, we make our way downstairs. Chan and Jisung appear from the opposite side, panting like they just ran a marathon.

"Guards, this is a code red! I repeat, this is a code red! Assemble in the South Wing immediately!" He loudly instructs into his walkie talkie before turning to talk to us.

"Are you guys okay? Anyone hurt? We were searching everywhere for you!" Chan says, just as another blasting sound echoes through the corridor. I could see little sparks of fire going haywire near the entrance of the palace through the window. Whatever it was, it was getting closer. I roll up my sleeves and tie my hair back, getting ready to fight.

"Chan, Jisung, I need you both to go find the source of intrusion and report back to me with the details. Don't shoot anyone unless it's necessary," Minho commands.

"With all due respect, that is utter rubbish. We're your bodyguards to protect you in times like these, not run away to do something else!" Jisung argues.

"I agree. You two are definitely in the most danger out of everyone and you need all the security you can get."

"This is an order, Chan. I give you two no option. We don't have time to dilly dally around so get going fast. Hyunjin and I can protect ourselves just fine," Minho says as the doors burst open, revealing an army of identically dressed men donning black masks and advanced gadgets wired to their suits. This could only mean one thing : it was the Oh's. But why the heck would they ambush us when they were negotiating a contract just before the coronation? Did it have something to do with Minho rejecting the proposal? All these thoughts swarm in my head till I get snapped out of them by an eerily familiar voice.

"HYUNJIN, WATCH OUT!" I hear and I duck instinctively as a bullet flies just millimeters past my arms, roughly grazing my skin. A narrow, solid stream of scarlet blood runs down the length of my elbow.

"Changbin? What are you still doing here?" I ask as we fight and converse simultaneously. We didn't know what kind of a battle was in store for us because the Oh's were one of the more technologically advanced kingdoms than ours, so their weapons could possibly be different.

"No time to explain, focus on keeping yourself alive!" He yells through the crowd. Someone charges at me from behind and I take them down in one swift motion of my dagger, slicing through their abdomen. I realize after a while that Minho was nowhere to be found. Seeing the situation right now, anything could have happened to him and I didn't like that.