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

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~ Crete, Greece ~

When we got off the plane, we continued our trip by car.

I told Aldus that I don't need to rest, but he insisted that we stop at his villa first.

Compared to our home in Genoa, this one was modest but no less beautiful.

The purely white villa was perched on the cliff with narrow stone steps leading to the sandy beach below and there was a private dock.

Due to its position of facing East, I imagined that sunrise over the Cretan Sea will be breathtaking.

The villa consists of four bedrooms and it features a big panoramic veranda, surrounded on three sides by flourishing gardens, and there was an inviting open swimming pool. I could see myself relaxing there with a fancy cocktail in my hand.

After showing me the villa and my bedroom, Aldus told me that we will continue our trip on foot.

"Right away?" I was confused. "Aren't we staying for the night here?"

"There is no need to waste time. You said you are not tired."

I was confused. We made a detour for this fifteen minutes-long stop. "That is correct, but why did we come here then?"

"Because you need to know where to return after you are done with your training."

I paused while his words sank in. "You are not coming with me?"

"Harpies are females, and they don't welcome men.", Aldus explained. "I am familiar with Mivian, the Archousa. That is their ruler. I also had a chance to meet Lumiona, the Manteio, or the oracle. But I can't get in."

"Oh… so I will be alone with them?" I said this mostly to myself as my unease swelled.

"Afraid?"

"Yes! How can you leave me with those monsters?"

Aldus paused. "I thought you wanted to master controlling the air."

"Not if it will cost me my life."

"They will not kill you without a reason, Serina. Harpies are wind spirits, and they are agents of punishment who carry murderers to Tartarus."

I was not convinced.

Aldus let out a long exhale. "I didn't plan to let you go without any guidance. I will go with you to the entrance and demand to speak with Mivian or Lumiona. Only if you are comfortable, you will proceed and if you are not, we will return. Or would you rather that we just go home, and you figure the air control on your own?"

I puffed my cheeks while thinking about his words. "I'm sorry. It's just… so many things happened, and I didn't have time to think about alternatives. You mentioned going to Greece and harpies and I just went with it and I didn't digest the idea. When you said that I will be alone, I gave in to my fears. I know that you wouldn't put me in a dangerous situation."

"I don't think they will kill you, but that doesn't mean that it's not dangerous.", Aldus said. "Harpies are vicious and dangerous creatures. But so am I and Lazarus and Vesper and Graike, and you are doing fine. I would love to come with you, but I can't."

I was pretty sure that Lazarus, Vesper, and Graike would do something nasty to me if not for my identity as Aldus's daughter! And Aldus would either ignore me or use me for food if I'm not his successful experiment! I didn't dare say this at loud, but I was thinking about it.

After a wave of anxiety washed over me, I exhaled in defeat. "It's fine. I can't rely on you to hold my hand all the time. I will make the most of my stay with them."

"Good girl…", Aldus said and patted my head. "I am not a hundred percent confident if your ability is because of something I did, or you had it in you. However, I know that harpies are the right creatures who can help you control it."

I knew that he was right. I nodded in agreement.

"Now let's go!", Aldus exclaimed while grabbing a backpack. "The last stretch of the trip is on foot."

I took my backpack that had a few changes of clothes, toiletries, and a handful of granola bars, and followed after him.

We hiked through the rocky terrain and sparse vegetation.

The villa was isolated, far from any towns, so as soon as the villa got out of our sight, we were surrounded by nature.

I was looking around while observing big trees and rocks, memorizing the path, so that I can find my way back.

"Is there something I should keep on my mind while there?", I asked when we were about half an hour into the hike.

Aldus thought for a second before responding. "You are an outsider. Do your best to stay like that."

I didn't get it. "What does that mean?"

"Information about harpies is limited to what they do in the outside world. There is a reason for that. Stay focused on why you are going there and when you learn what you need, come back."

I thought about his words. "Are you saying that if I see something I shouldn't, they will kill me?"

"Not necessarily kill you, but they might not let you out." Aldus saw me frowning, so he provided additional information, "Their civilization was thriving until they lost the war against humans. Since then, they retreated into their realm and are not coming out unless absolutely necessary. The word is that their numbers are dwindling. No matter what they are up to, remind yourself who you are and why you are there. Don't allow them to assimilate you."

It all sounded dangerous. Too dangerous.

Am I going to face another situation where someone wants to keep me?

My reasoning screamed that I should back out, but another voice in my head repeated that I am not human, and I should stop thinking like one.

I belong to the world where one will want to make me his because I smell in a certain way, and another one will want to take me to his den as his wife because I rode on his back. So many life-altering events could happen because of things I couldn't control or because of my ignorance.

In this case, I am going to meet harpies armed with knowledge and determination. I need this; I need them. If I bail out without mastering the control of air, I will be back to house-arrest, wondering if I will demolish half of the house next time when I get some bad news.

I gathered all my courage and put on a confident expression. "I can do this."

Aldus gave me a nod of approval. "I don't know how long you will need, but I will check on you in one month if you are not back by then."

"Does that mean we will be unable to communicate?"

"Every realm is locked with specific security that only rulers know how to go around."

I took that as a 'no'. Another thing came into my mind. "Is that why you can contact your parents? Because your family rules Lemuria?"

Aldus smiled in response, and that was a definite 'yes'.

Sometimes I think of Aldus as a father, and sometimes as an eccentric scientist or an alchemist, but I never thought of him as a ruler of vampires. Well, his parents are rulers and that makes him a prince. And here I am, walking through the desolate rocky terrain in Greece with the prince of vampires. Sounds like a story from a novel with a bad ending.

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