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

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I turned to look at Aldus and I found that he is observing me keenly, with a small smile on his face, ready to answer my questions. I wanted to ask him if he can read my mind, but I didn't want to know if the answer is yes, so I went with a different approach to the topic.

"Lazarus is fast and strong. Much more than an average human. I didn't imagine that, right?", I asked Aldus.

Aldus confirmed. "Correct."

"Do you have any abnormal abilities?" I saw his puzzled look and clarified: "Something that humans can't normally do."

Aldus smirked, happy that I corrected myself. He understood my first question, but he didn't approve of my choice of words.

"Yes.", Aldus responded.

"Can you show me?", I asked and quickly added: "If it's something that will not freak me out."

Aldus looked at the table where my journal was, and my sight followed his.

'SNAP!'

A crisp sound of Aldus's fingers snapping got my attention and I stared at the notebook that was in his hand. My eyes darted toward the desk that was empty now.

"How did you do that?"

"You call it an ability, and I call it normal.", he said simply like we are discussing the weather. "A person who was born with a deformity, unable to walk from birth, would look at walking humans like they are doing something extraordinary, while for them, that would be a normal thing."

"You are good at explaining things."

"I had many years of practice.", he responded vaguely.

I doubted that. "Really? A man like you explains things to others?"

"At Notte Pharmaceuticals I need to break down things for people who are not used to using their brain effectively."

I grimaced. "You have an interesting way to tell me that I am stupid."

"You are not stupid, Serina. I told you that should open your mind to the possibilities and I hope that my explanations will help you in taking those baby steps."

I didn't want to talk about it anymore. It's like I'm asking to be insulted, and he is not even trying.

My gaze moved to the journal in his hand and I remembered that a similar thing happened with my tablet in the garden, and more than once I wondered how some things ended up in his hand without me noticing. In any of those cases, I didn't hear him snap his fingers. "Was the finger-snapping necessary to summon the journal into your hand?"

"No. I only wanted to get your attention."

"Can you teleport anything anywhere?"

"No.", he responded and smiled at my silent curiosity. "It needs to be in my visual range, and I had to touch it previously. Think of it like recreating in my mind the feeling of holding onto something or touching it, and it will happen."

"Locking my door will not work against you.", I shared my first thoughts.

Aldus's eyebrows shoot up in surprise at my comment. "I will not invade your space or your privacy, Serina. If the door is closed, I will knock and wait for your permission to enter."

I was happy with his answer but more than his words, it was the sincerity that radiated from him as he spoke, and I knew that he is telling the truth.

He pushed the journal in my hands, and I remembered that I have a dream to note down in it… the flirting one from the rooftop, but that can wait because I still wanted to talk to Aldus. I kept the journal on the coffee table.

"Can you move a mountain?"

Aldus stifled a laugh. "No. The bigger object is, the more energy it takes to move around. I can't move things with my mind that I can't move with my body."

I didn't think that makes sense. "Isn't that a limitation of your mind?"

"Maybe. But I never had a need to move a mountain, so I never tried it."

I made a face. "For someone who is eager to experiment on me, you don't want to test the limits of your abilities."

Aldus looked at me with warmth in his eyes. "I am happy that you are my daughter, Serina."

I was not sure if this was his way of ending the conversation, so I had to check… "Can I ask you more questions?"

Aldus waved with his hand, palm up, indicating for me to go ahead.

I liked that we could talk further. It was relaxing, the most pleasant talk we had since we met.

"Are you immortal?"

"I can't die of old age or natural causes.", he responded.

"But if someone cuts off your head, then you will die?"

Aldus's eyebrow arched in disapproval of my words. "I would rather not test that theory."

I laughed. "It seems that I found one more thing you are not willing to test on yourself. Remember this next time when you get an idea to cut off a piece of me."

He laughed with me and tapped my forehead with the tip of his index finger. "I don't have a healing ability like yours, and I would never cut off your head."

I caught onto something from his words. "You have a healing ability."

Aldus nodded. "My healing is faster than an average human, but not like yours."

"Are you a shapeshifter?", I continued asking.

"No. My shape is permanent, but I have ways of giving variations to my appearance."

"Like Mystique from X-Men?"

He was obviously displeased with my comparison, but he still answered: "Something like that but without blue scales."

I laughed at his disgust and I was confident that in his mind Aldus had a visual of blue scales shimmering over his body. "Will you show me?"

Aldus confirmed. "One day."

I had so many other questions that buzzed in my head but I was unable to come up with anything meaningful. I concluded that I need time to process all this information.

"Now what?", I asked him.

"Do you want to join us for dinner?"

I didn't like the idea of seeing Lazarus again. The guy creeped me out. And Aldus's words that Lazarus is super fast and strong, and a shapeshifter made me nervous. However, my pride didn't allow me to admit that I am afraid, and I had a feeling that Aldus will protect me.

Unknowingly, I started relying on Aldus. I remembered how when he showed up in the garden, I felt a relief as if I am seeing my savior.

Now I wonder if I am developing Stockholm syndrome. Well, even if Aldus is my captor, today he showed that he will not allow others to mistreat me.

"Will Lazarus try to smell me again? Or to eat me up?"

"If he tries that after my warning, he is playing with his life and he knows that.", Aldus said with a straight face, and I believed him.

I thought about Aldus's words before asking: "Is Lazarus your subordinate?"

"Lazarus is not my subordinate, but in our hierarchy, I am above him. Keep in mind that even if he gets close to you, he has no right to make you feel uncomfortable."

I frowned in dislike of insinuation behind Aldus's words. "Why would he get close to me?"

"You are an attractive woman, so…"

"No way!", I interrupted Aldus because I knew where this is going. I have no intention to get close to a snake like Lazarus. Or maybe I should think of him like a dog… a scary dog without proper house-training.

Even if Lazarus is not a dog whose first 'hello' was to force a hug on me and to sniff me, the current me is a mess. I don't remember things from beyond ten days ago while my mind struggles to process things that are currently around me. There is no space for romancing or anything of that sort.

Aldus gave me a reassuring gaze. "It will be up to you if you want to start a relationship with anyone, Lazarus included. I will not meddle in your private life unless you want me to keep your pursuers away from you."

His words reminded me of my dream and Duke. Duke said something on those lines, that he is keeping other boys away from me, and it made my heart flutter, but now that Aldus said it, it gave me a sense of peace. I didn't remember my father, but if I had one, I hoped that he was protective while giving me a choice, like Aldus right now.

"Thank you.", I said sincerely.

Aldus's attitude gave me comfort and courage to try this on my own.

"How should I treat Lazarus when I see him?"

Aldus smirked, obviously pleased with my newly found vigor. "In this place, you are the princess and other than the king…", he pointed at himself, "…there is no other royalty. Whoever comes here is reduced to a guest no matter what their status is, and they need to earn your respect…"

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