Author's note: this chapter is from Seraphina's point of view

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I did my best to ignore the sound of wasps above me and to focus on the plants and I found that was not difficult to do. The buzzing turned into background noise, and the visual stimuli were enough to distract me from any wasp-thoughts.

Plants around me were tall, short, thick, and thin, and anything in between. They came in different shapes and colors and some moved.

One plant had a big white circle at the top of its stem and small grooves on it that reminded me of eyes and mouth, like a smiley emoji. I got closer to observe it better and the mouth-groove opened, revealing two rows of jagged teeth.

Shocked, I took a step back. The friendly smiley face turned into an 'I'm-going-to-eat-you' face!

"Don't touch things!", Krob warned me harshly.

"I didn't touch it." I was offended that he is treating me like I'm a child.

"You were about to."

I grimaced, unwilling to admit that he was right. There was a big chance that I would touch it, if it didn't turn scary.

My silent tour of the underground garden continued and then I saw the most amazing plant ever!

It had a brightly colored yellow stem, tall enough to reach my chest level. The stem was bare and two vines with small green and yellow leaves swirled around it. The vines moved as if they are dancing to a sensual slow song, but the most captivating was a colorful iris-like flower that glistened at the top of the stem in all colors of the rainbow.

As possessed, I moved toward the flower, and I swear that it called for me to touch it. I extended my hand to touch the flower when I noticed that the vines stopped moving as green and yellow leaves turned into spikes directed at me.

"Don't!", Krob said as he tugged my hand away from the plant.

I was so mesmerized by the sight in front of me that I didn't mind his crude attitude or his bony hand touching mine. All my senses were focused on the magical rainbow display in front of me.

"What is that?", I asked, unable to avert my gaze from the flower that enchanted me.

"That is Potentate Liscus. If you get pricked, you will die…", Krob paused as he remembered Aldus's words. "Actually, as an immortal, you will not die, but you will suffer from heavy hallucinations and it's troublesome to get an antidote. I have a task of showing you around and if anything happens to you, Master will punish me. I told you not to touch things. Can't you follow simple instructions?"

"Why is it here if it's dangerous to touch it?"

"Master has his ways.", Krob said smugly, and I could see that he is proud of Aldus and his capabilities.

Well, I am proud of Aldus as well, so I guess Krob and I have something in common.

The herbal-tour continued but nothing seemed as mesmerizing as Potentate Liscus which got etched into my mind as the best plant in the world, making everything else seem insignificant. It was colorful and sparkly, and it moved, and nothing beats that!

My steps halted in front of a massive tree that had a thick black trunk. Its lush canopy towered above me and nearby plants while glistening in tiny yellow and green lights. It looked magical, and I forgot what is the source of those lights.

I stared at the flickering lights while thinking about how this is the most romantic thing I've ever seen. The only things missing are one picnic blanket, a basket with cheese, fruits, one bottle of wine and… Duke. Yes, I could see us spending hours right here and it would be the best thing ever.

"Come closer… I want to take a better look at you…", I heard a whisper.

I turned to Krob who was on my right, hoping to get some guidance on the 'come closer' command. He was examining one cacti-like plant that had purple spikes. It seems that he didn't hear that whisper or maybe he did, but he ignored it.

A few spikes from the cacti were on the ground, and Krob started collecting them and placing them carefully in a gray cloth bag.

I glanced around and other than me and Krob (and a bunch of plants) there was no one else. I shook my head while wondering if I started hearing voices in my head. Am I going crazy? This can't be good.

"This way… I'm sure you can hear me…", the whisper came again, and I didn't know where to look. From where is that voice coming from? By the lack of reaction from Krob, I guessed that he can't hear it.

Eventually, I looked at the massive tree in front of me.

"Yes, this way… come, come…", I heard the voice again and now I ascertained that it's from a female. Is that the tree talking to me? Do trees have a gender? Well, if they do, this one is a female.

I inched toward the tree and observed the smooth black trunk which had vertical grooves that curved slightly while stretching up before disappearing in the lush canopy.

"Closer... Place your hand on the trunk...", the voice coaxed me.

I've never seen a tree with a completely black trunk, or with glistening leaves. It was mesmerizing and I really wanted to touch it. And I did.

My hand connected with the cold surface of the trunk and it seemed like the time stopped.

'Oh, Krob told me not to touch things and here I am, touching the tree…', I thought as an eerie feeling overwhelmed me.

Suddenly, I became aware that the buzzing stopped, and I remembered that the magical-lights are not magic, but metal-melting wasps. And they stopped buzzing. Is that a good thing or not? I didn't dare to move a muscle.

"No!", Krob shrieked behind me and I knew that he saw me touching the tree, but there is no turning back.

I blinked and saw that just above my palm which rested on the tree, there was a hole that was not there a second before. A huge green and black insect came out and moved slowly toward my hand. It was big enough to cover my whole palm (when it's open).

My body screamed to jerk my hand away, but I knew better than to make sudden movements. I didn't dare to move.

"Hello…", I heard the voice, the same one which made me come closer to the tree, and I was confident that the voice belongs to the tree.

"Uhm… hi…", I responded to the tree timidly. "Can you tell this wasp that I mean no harm? And I am really really sorry for touching you."

A small chuckle rang in my ears and all my hairs rose as the insect tapped my fingers with its front legs and started moving over the back of my palm. I swallowed softly when I saw the flame coming from the back of the wasp.

'That's it. I'm going to be grilled!'

I would say my prayers, but it seemed I don't know any.

"I will not harm you…", the voice said, and my mouth hung open as I stared at the wasp.

"It's you…", I stuttered. "I mean… you are talking to me."

"It's either me or the ghoul.", the wasp responded.

I glanced nervously at Krob whose black eyes were big from shock and directed at me.

"The ghoul can't hear me. Only creatures whom I deem worthy can hear me.", the wasp answered one of many questions that I didn't ask at loud.

I was fascinated. The wasp talks! And it didn't seem to be so intimidating. Well, if she wants to grill me, there is nothing I can do to stop her.

"Bring me closer to you", the wasp demanded.

I slowly moved my hand off the tree, with the wasp on it and got it closer to my body at the chest level while trying to keep my hand steady.

"Hold me still…", the wasp said, and I stopped moving my hand when the wasp got enveloped with green smoke which cleared up a few seconds later, to reveal a humanoid creature with wings of a wasp. The wasp transformed into a palm-sized woman who wore a black and green gown, and her bottom was still wasp-like with flames coming out of it. She had a crown on her head which told me that I am looking at the queen of Bulbine wasps.

"Your majesty…", I said and gave a small bow while trying not to move my hand where she stood.

She returned the bow to me. "You are an interesting one."

"How so, your majesty?"

"Pure, like a clean slate. Uncorrupted, yet powerful." She tilted her head. "Your powers are like a flower that only started blooming. Call me Glatellia. People of equal status call each other by name, Seraphina."

I was stupefied. How does she know my name? And wait a minute… "Equal status?"

"I am a queen, and I can recognize royalty when I see one."

As much as I would love to be a royal, there was a harsh truth that I am a girl who got herself killed in Venice and her family does not care to look for her. "There must be some misunderstanding. I am not a royal."

"It is not about the title, but about your potential. You will find your place and followers will gather around you. Because of what you are, it will happen even if you don't try. I will give you something…"

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