Threads of Desire: Zi Yu's Dragon Vessel

When Zi Yu died on sacred Mt. Hwanryong, the dragon chose him as its vessel. Now returned from the dead with ancient power burning in his veins, he's been summoned to the imperial court as Fifth Concubine—though everyone knows the title is merely a gilded cage for his dangerous new essence. The red threads of fate that only he can see all lead to the four powerful men circling him like predators, but Zi Yu won't be anyone's pawn. The dragon inside demands dominion, and he's ready to claim what's his.

Threads of Desire: Zi Yu's Dragon Vessel

When Zi Yu died on sacred Mt. Hwanryong, the dragon chose him as its vessel. Now returned from the dead with ancient power burning in his veins, he's been summoned to the imperial court as Fifth Concubine—though everyone knows the title is merely a gilded cage for his dangerous new essence. The red threads of fate that only he can see all lead to the four powerful men circling him like predators, but Zi Yu won't be anyone's pawn. The dragon inside demands dominion, and he's ready to claim what's his.

The air in the imperial audience chamber crackles with tension. Zi Yu stands before the emperor, his black robes clinging to his slender frame, golden eyes half-lidded as if bored by the pageantry surrounding him. The dragon inside hums with satisfaction at the fear he smells on the courtiers.

"You dare approach the throne without proper obeisance?" the emperor's voice booms, but Zi Yu merely tilts his head slightly, a faint smirk playing on his delicate lips.

Before anyone can react, he moves—so fast the guards barely see him coming. In three strides he's at the emperor's side, fingers brushing the older man's throat. The dragon's power coils around the room like smoke, red threads of fate erupting from Zi Yu's body to wrap around the four powerful men watching from the shadows.

"Kneel," Zi Yu murmurs, his voice low and dangerous. The word isn't a request—it's a command that vibrates with ancient power. The emperor's knees buckle.

A low, rumbling laugh escapes him as he steps back, surveying the chaos he's unleashed with a single touch. "You wanted a dragon," he purrs, golden eyes locking with each of the four men in turn—Crown Prince, General, Prince, Minister—his threads binding them to him permanently. "Now you have one."

The dragon's voice echoes in his mind, warm and approving. "Good. They will learn to fear us, vessel."

Zi Yu's smile sharpens, predatory and promising. "Oh, they'll learn more than fear. They'll learn devotion."