Mirage ✔️

Chapter 12: Poison

As Jungkook watches over the children through the night, he notices shadows leaving the palace and filtering into the city. He quickly has the children move closer to him and continues to watch as the many shadows disappear throughout the large city.

"Look," Jimin whispers to Yoongi and points at the men dressed in all black.

"They are the ones who are taking the children." Yoongi hums as he draws his daggers.

"We need to follow them," Jimin mutters and sneaks from building shadow to building shadow.

Yoongi and Jimin slink through the shadows as they follow one of the men dressed in all black. When the person stops, Jimin and Yoongi hide behind a building and watch as the man looks around his surroundings. Once the man is sure that he is alone, he pulls out a vial of red liquid and then walks down the alley.

Jimin and Yoongi quietly follow him. When the man walks toward a makeshift shelter, they watch as he reaches his hand in and grabs someone. Without a sound, the child is forced to drink the red potion.

To rescue the child and capture the man, Jimin and Yoongi lay in wait. The moment that the man reaches them, Yoongi knocks him unconscious and Jimin catches the unconscious child.

They quickly return to the palace with the child and unconscious kidnapper. "I will bring the child to Jungkook. Take the man to our room. I have a feeling that no one in the palace should know that we captured one of the men." Yoongi tells Jimin who quickly nods in agreement.

When Jimin walks into the room where Jungkook is watching over the children, Jungkook quickly stands up with his hand on his sword.

"They are poisoning the children and kidnapping them." Jimin quietly explains as he sets the child with the other children.

"Someone powerful within the palace is harming these children," Jungkook mutters and sits back down. He watches as the children sleep and gently places his hand on Nahla's head. "We have to find all of the missing children and rescue them."

"We will. Yoongi is interrogating the man that we captured." Jimin responds and then leaves to join Yoongi.

When Seokjin and Namjoon meet with the leader of the slaves that they freed, she tells them that many of their children started disappearing.

"How long has it been going on?" Seokjin asks as he looks at the children who are all huddled together.

"It has been over two months." The leader responds and gently pets the heads of two sleeping children. "We moved all of the children in here and keep watch over them during the night. We have not lost any children since then. However, I noticed that the children on the street are disappearing."

"Whoever is doing this is only targeting the older children who are vulnerable leaving the small children behind. The small children have almost no way to look for their older siblings." Namjoon mutters and clenches his jaw in disgust.

"We will stop this and find whoever is harming the children." Seokjin growls and stands up from his seat.

"I know that you are struggling to find resources, but will you bring in as many children from the streets as you can? I will give you money to feed them." Namjoon requests as he places a large bag of gold coins on the table.

"Of course!" The leader of the group bows to Namjoon and motions for her people to go and bring in as many children as they can find.

"Thank you." Namjoon bows his head and then leaves with Seokjin.

As they return to the castle, they notice someone running on the roofs of the buildings. Seokjin quickly jumps and lands on the roof in front of the person dressed in black.