"Taehyun-ahh! Wake up! Taehyun!!" Jino shook Taehyun who lay unconscious beside him.

"Taehyun, wake up, please." Tears welled up in Lisa's eyes as she gently moved him, the weakening effects of the intoxicating potion gradually releasing its grip on him. Taehyun's eyes fluttered open, and he found himself gazing into a familiar, radiant countenance.

"Lizzy." Taehyun murmured, a smile curving his lips. "I dreamt a nightmare that she snatched you away from me." he looked at her with the ever-present twinkle in his eyes, each time his eyes met Lizzy's they'd sparkle with joy. Irrespective of the accusations Lizzy held, regardless of Taehyun's feelings of his painful one-sided love, unmindful if the whole world stood against his love, Taehyun would still love her. For him, Lizzy was his irreplaceable love, unwavering and timeless.

Lisa touched his cheek with concern and said, "Thank god you are awake." her voice sigh of relief. Taehyun slowly got up trying to settle with the aches, tormenting the whole of his body as he once again looked at Lisa and was about to lean in to kiss her. He paused his actions and glanced at Lisa, "You are... you are not Lizzy, Miss La Lisa." he said as his face went pale recollecting their situation as he comprehended that it was not just a nightmare and in fact the reality that crashed upon him like a tidal wave. His attempt to maintain composure was futile as his eyes welled up.

"My sincere apologies, Miss Lisa, for the fear and anguish I've inadvertently caused you. I never intended this. All those times you felt watched and pursued, it was me, under the delusion that you were Lizzy. I deeply regret not formally addressing the confusion that tainted your perception of your mate, Prince Kim Taehyung. I am profoundly sorry for my role in this." Taehyun's voice quavered as he spoke, shattered by his own actions. Pain, both physical and emotional, gripped him in its vice-like hold. Lisa mustered a sad smile and tenderly stroked his hair. "It's alright. Please don't apologize. The fault is not yours. We are, after all, like mirror images of each other. There's no need for apologies." Lisa's compassionate words resonated.

Taehyun bowed his head a little as a gesture to thank Lisa as Jhope soothed Taehyun's back, having witnessed the events unfolded by red-robed woman who imprisoned them.

Jino's voice broke the heavy silence, "We must find an escape from this predicament." Standing up cautiously and approaching the cell's bars, he peered outside, wary of the potent magical wards.

Lily chimed in, her voice laden with concern, "These shackles are distinct from the prior ones. Our previous strategy for escape won't suffice." Her gaze swept the room as she tried to contemplate and find a new strategy to escape.

(Author: Just because you guys keep forgetting, Lily is Rose's sister. I will once again brush up, on who is where so we do not have any confusion. 😐

In the prison right now there is Jhope, Lily, Jino, Taehyun, and Lisa.

Malice aka the evil red queen also has Jimin, Taehyung, Lizzy, and our sleeping beauty Lidiya {face claim: Somi}

She also has the dead bodies of the Jeon brothers and all the villain peeps are with her.

I will also repeat where the other characters are, in case you remember, skip the bold text to continue reading the story. 🤧

Y/n is at the Goblin cave with the Guardian Goblins.

Jennie who is cursed is with Mark, Namjoon, Jason, Eunwoo, and Young Goblin - Kai.

Namjoon: Where is Jin hyung? 👀

Author: DO NOT INTERRUPT ME, and no, not telling you!! 🙄

Namjoon: Rude! I know you pulled him out of the book and hid him in your room right? 😳💀💀💀

Author: Ble ble ble. 🙄 Anyways,

All the major royal family members including Emperor Jungwoo, is at the Dark Castle with Queen Evie.

Rose is with Yoongi who is resting to restore the firestone at the Light Castle.

Suzy is at the Dark Castle, resting to restore the firestone at the Dark Castle. Jisoo and Robert are also at the Dark Castle being useless af.

Robert: Bro wtf? Stfu, I'm in a comma because of your bs. 🙄

Author: Whatever! Now if I missed someone, forget them, and let's continue, we have a lot of portions to cover before the Autumn break!😵

Jk: Heard of Spring breaks what the heck is Autumn break?? 🥴

Author: When my academic sessions are going on, you guys get a break!

Jg: A holiday? Wow! More banana milk and lemon Kombucha!

Author: More like..... no updates but okay. 😅

Jk: MORE LIKE BEING STUCK IN THE SAME PLACE FOR MONTHS! 💀

Author: Gukk actually framed it better! 😬😬

Jk: Stop deceiving the kid ☠️)

"Where is Taehyung?" Taehyun's eyes scanned the chamber, worry lacing his features.

"T-Tae was also taken away with Lizzy." Lisa explained. Anguish flared within Taehyun, fueling his resolve. He wrenched at his chains, a beastly roar escaping his lips. "You twisted woman! Once I'm free, I'll end you. I'll shatter you. I'll make you pay!" His frenzied outburst sent tremors through the room, restrained only by Jino's intervention, sparing the bars a devastating blow.

"Tae, restrain yourself. Our fury won't serve us now. As Guardians, our foremost lesson is maintaining composure, and thinking logically at all times." Jino's voice steadied Taehyun.

The commotion summoned a guard, eyeing them warily. Taehyun's growl sent a shiver through the guard, who attempted to distance himself.

"Free me, you bastard!" Taehyun growled at the guard.

The guard was taken aback by his rage but carefully inserted his spear into the cell and pricked Taehyun's arm as it went deeper into his skin; Taehyun hissed now bleeding more from his arm, adding more bruises to himself. This angered Jino and he screamed at the guard. He pulled the spear toward them, which led to them getting the guard's spear as the guard sprinted away scared of the wounded and prisoned Guardians. Taehyun burned in anger and agony as he hissed in pain. Everyone in the cell was terrified. Jhope helped Taehyun carefully take a seat.

"Does that hurt a lot?" Jino questioned, dropping the spear to the ground that he had snatched from the guard.

"Not as much as my soul hurts, her soul is in pain." Taehyun shrieked. Lisa teared up, she tore a piece of her netted dress and tied it around Taehyun's arm. "What is she doing to my love?? Her soul is screaming. It is calling out for me." Taehyun cried. Taehyun had a good knowledge of spirituality that connected a higher form of all the beings, it was above the physical body; had a pure and strong connection with Lizzy and a great understanding of spiritual connection, he could feel her. Lizzy's pain and screams were tormenting him and flamming his wounds.

"Do you think T-Taehyung... is he..." Lisa paused as she couldn't continue, her gazes locked, sharing pain mirrored in their eyes. "Dead?" Lisa whispered the last word that echoed in the quiet dungeon. Taehyun slammed his fists on the ground as Lisa sobbed uncontrollably.

Lily looked at the scene in front of her eyes and felt a rush of empathy surging within her.

"We must escape immediately," Lily asserted, urgency evident in her voice.

"Obviously, isn't that what we all want? But how?" Jhope queried, his tone echoing their shared apprehension.

"No, you do not understand how important it is for you to escape right now! That woman outside intends to kill the princes of Yin and Yang. She wants Emperor Jeon Jungwoo to bow to her and comply with whatever she says. The forbidden prophecy states the demise of Prince Jeongukk the ruler of Yin, and the throne of Yin and Yang to be ruled by Prince Jungkook the ruler of Yang. If the queen's evil plans come true, she will overthrow any other ruler alive." Lily revealed, casting a shadow over their tense group.

"G-Gukk! I need to save Gukk!" Taehyun screamed getting off his seat. Taehyun felt vulnerable, he couldn't save Lizzy and now the thought of Jeongukk being hurt frightened him to bits. He couldn't bare to lose Jeongukk.

"H-How do you know this Lily?" Jhope's voice held suspicion, intertwining with his furrowed brow, skepticism evident from the start. There was silence.

Lily faltered, her eyes locking with Jino's probing gaze. "I-I... Jisoo! Jisoo!! She is trying to tell me all of this through communicating with me by means of the telepa" Lily's stammers were cut by Jhope.

"Why contact you and not Lisa or me? Given she barely knows you, why would that person be you? Does that not raise doubts?" Jhope's tone was firm, his trust wavering. For some reason, Lily seemed nervous.

"Didn't she say that she cannot contact anyone from in here?" Lisa asked turning to Jhope, wiping the tears off her face. The atmosphere tightened with uncertainty.

"She never said she couldn't communicate with us from outside. Wasn't that why we chose her and not someone else to represent us? She can calmly use her abilities from out there." Lily interjected, her words weighted with logic.

(Jk: Just me or she be gaslighting? SUS. 👀

Author: I said don't comment in-between!!! 🙄)

"Who is she to you all, again?" Jino asked Lisa and Jhope, scrutinizing Lily with suspicion.

"Lily is Rose unnie's sister, who is the princess of the kingdom of Rosela. She was missing for years but we found her recently and she has no memories of the past." Lisa's explanation flowed.

"Is that so?" Jino questioned Lily, taking a few steps toward her. Lily maintained eye contact with him.

"Why does it look like you guys don't trust me?" Lily questioned maintaining eye contact with Jino portraying her confidence, or was she faking it?

"You don't look reliable to me." Jino said squinting his eyes and raising his hand towards Lily's forehead.

"What do you think you are doing? I command you to back off!" Lily said sternly.

"Finding out the truth" Jino said, continuing his action.

"Your powers don't work here." Lily took a step back, countering Jino's attempt with a firm response.

Jino raised an eyebrow, his confident demeanor undeterred. "Exactly, powers don't work here but nothing can prevent me from using my abilities, anywhere." Jino channeled his inner charm, similar to his charming look-alike Kim Seok Jin, from the Yang Dynasty who possessed deep control over the abilities like hypnosis.

"Why would I help Robert and Jisoo escape if I am not reliable? Let us not waste our time accusing each and focus on getting out." Lily's quick response came with a twist as she caught Jino's hand before he could pull a mind-bending trick on her.

"Here's the real mystery - how'd you figure out their escape plan while you were in the same 'kidnapped' boat as the rest of us?" Jhope added to the accusations she held.

"And, you didn't exactly pass out when that lady was grilling us out there. Nah, you just played possum, you were well in your consciences" Jino added as Lisa and Taehyung looked at Lily perplexed. Lily knew she was answerable but speechless. Jino made another move, trying to crack the enigma. His hand approached Lily's forehead, ready to pry out the truth through hypnosis. Lily's eyes widened, and she instinctively withdrew.

Lily held it away and continued, "Don't do that, please." she said with pleading eyes, vulnerability clearly visible in them.

"Why would we listen to you after all this?" J hope questioned anger bubbling beneath the surface.

Lily's voice trembled, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and desperation. "Please" she implored, her words barely more than a whisper, "If you try to hypnotize me... it could be the end of me."

Jino's piercing gaze held her for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features. The weight of the situation hung in the air, thick and suffocating. The others watched in tense silence, unsure of what to expect next.

"I will tell you the truth, don't hypnotize me." she gazed dropped, her voice shaky but earnest.

"Go on then, tell us the truth." Jino said reflecting the command in his tone. Lily took a deep breath, her eyes finally meeting theirs, her vulnerability laid bare.

"Yes. Yes, I am not Lily Park; I am not Rose's sister."

To be continued...

(Author: Hello all!!! My wattpad stopped working for some reason, so anyways... 😑😭

How's everyone? 😬

I'm kinda sick so tired.... Can't edit properly so ignore any edi mistakes. 😭🤧🤧🤧

What do you think happens next? What do you expect???? 👀

Jk: Everyone expects ME BACK. 😙😌

Author: Yeah so stay back. *pushing him behind the scenes* 😑

Word count: 2163)