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

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The door of the apartment opened, and my eyes landed on a slim woman with long black hair and crescent-shaped dark eyes which together with her tanned skin gave her an oriental vibe.

Her modern clothes with clean lines made her look like a businesswoman, dispersing my previous notion of how witches are short and plump with a pale complexion and hairy warts on the nose.

If I met her on the street, I would assume that she is a regular woman in her mid-thirties.

I wondered if she has a pointy hat and a broom that can fly or if that is made up also.

She smiled at Aldus and her smile froze when she noticed me.

"I thought you will come on your own.", Vesper said stiffly to Aldus without greeting us.

"I asked for your assistance.", Aldus responded and took the initiative to introduce me. "Vesper, this is Seraphina, my daughter. Serina, this is Vesper."

Vesper's eyes flashed in surprise. "Daughter?", she asked suspiciously, as her gaze traveled from my head to my toes and then back up again.

"Are you going to let us in, or did we come here for a chat in the hallway?", Aldus asked.

She slowly backed away and opened the door wider, gesturing to us to come in.

I could feel the hostility directed at me, and I wondered if I did something to offend her at first glance. Is she hating me because Aldus didn't say that he will be coming with +1?

I thought how trusting this woman with anything will be a challenge.

What if she puts me under a spell and I wake up in a cauldron full of boiling green liquid? Will I become an ingredient for a potion? What if she sucks my vitality to maintain her youth? How come I didn't think of this earlier? I had no idea why, but I started remembering all fairytales that contained witches in them.

We found ourselves in a long hallway with three doors on each side.

The door closed behind us, and Vesper crossed her arms over her chest. It took some time for her to peel off her disparaging gaze from me and to look at Aldus.

"I didn't know you had a daughter. Who is the mother?"

"Does it matter?", Aldus asked flatly, and I could feel the irritation in his voice.

"It does.", she responded defiantly. "How dare you bring your lover into my house?"

I wanted to respond, but Aldus was faster.

"Serina is not my lover."

Vesper snorted. "Do you mind if I check?"

Aldus puffed his cheeks and glanced at me. I understood that unless she checks, she will not help me. Why did I feel that she is jealous of me? I shook that thought away. I must be imagining.

"I don't mind.", I responded to what Vesper smirked and stalked toward me.

I thought that she will use some spell to read my mind, but to my surprise, she put her palm on my abdomen and started muttering something unintelligible.

It lasted only a few seconds and then Vesper moved away and looked at Aldus, her intense gaze softening a bit.

Whatever she did, she was pleased with the results, and I was happy that I didn't turn into a toad.

"Please…", she gestured toward the door on the left, and we moved into the living room.

I glanced around the large room with windows on two sides that allowed plenty of sunlight in.

'How is this possible…?', I wondered. Other than the unusually spacious room, it was obvious that this is not the corner of the building. How can there be windows on two walls? And it was cloudy when we entered the building, yet from the windows, the sky was bright and blue.

She offered us drinks, which Aldus curtly refused. Vesper didn't mind.

Aldus sat on the sofa and gestured to me to sit next to him, which I did.

Vesper sat on the sofa chair, with a low coffee table between us.

I was not sure if Vesper's previous hostility turned into curiosity, or if I'm imagining things. After all, Aldus told me to question everything, myself included.

"So, what brings you here?", Vesper asked casually.

"Serina needs help. She releases her pheromones under stress and it's problematic."

Vesper observed me strangely before directing her gaze at Aldus. "Isn't she old for awakening a power?"

This was one of the questions Aldus and I discussed on the plane, and he was ready with a response.

"We don't know if that is a new power. She grew up with humans and only recently got under my protection. So far, we noticed it happening three times, and when I asked her to remember the incidents, I measured the increased pheromone levels."

Vesper silently scrutinized Aldus and me, obviously not sure if she should believe the 'new power' story, but eventually, she spoke.

"If you want me to help, I will need more details."

I was quiet, just as Aldus instructed. Unless Vesper asks me something directly, I should let him handle it.

Aldus narrated the story about me meeting Lazarus, the fair, and Krob. The first two stories were authentic, while Aldus modified the third one. In Aldus's version of the story, Krob was a transformed werewolf in a dungeon of his villa, but the rest was there. I didn't know there was a dungeon in the villa I'm living in, so I was not sure if that was made up or not.

Based on Aldus's stories, I concluded that Vesper knows Lazarus, but not Krob and that Aldus wants to keep Krob's existence a secret, just like his lab.

I must admit that I was happy to know that Aldus revealed to me more than he did to this woman with whom he shares some history.

Aldus was curt toward Vesper, and I wondered what happened between them in the past, but it can't be something too harsh, considering that he reached out to her for help, and she agreed. Those were my conclusions, but I was aware that creatures like Aldus and Vesper might have different standards of what is forgivable.

"Sounds serious…", Vesper said with a small smirk when Aldus finished talking and I was happy that she didn't ask more questions. She probably understood that Aldus will not reveal more. His explanation that I grew up with humans provided a great cover for why I freaked out when I saw a werewolf or when I got saddened while listening to how immortals watch people perish.

"So, how do you expect me to help?", Vesper asked after some time.

"She needs to control it.", Aldus responded. "Can you help her?"

"Of course!", Vesper said with a light laugh before adding: "For the right price."

"What do you want?", Aldus asked coolly, and his expression didn't crack.

Vesper smiled and inched closer until she sat at the far edge of the chair as she leaned toward Aldus. "I want something that only you can give."

I didn't understand what that 'something' was, but based on Aldus's grim expression, I understood that it's something important to him. Vesper's provocative glance directed at Aldus told me that she is aware of how she is asking for too much.

I felt guilt swell inside me. This didn't look like a transaction, but it was more like blackmail. Because of me, Aldus was being forced to do something against his will.

I cleared my throat to break the tense silence.

"Father, it's OK. I can figure it out on my own." Aldus looked at me with a complex expression and I smiled a little. "What's the worst thing? I will stay home, and if someone comes for a visit, I will not leave my room. That is not so bad."

Aldus exhaled and turned to Vesper. "Before we discuss any payment, I want proof that you can help her. And you will not get a thing until she gains complete mastery. If a single hair of her body is missing or damaged, our deal is off."

Vesper's lips lifted into a victorious smile. "What should I do to prove that I can deliver?"

"Identify what emotions are triggering her power and show me that you can transfer to her your knowledge about sensing energies."

Vesper frowned. "Isn't that almost everything?"

"We both know that sensing energies and manipulating them are two totally different things. If I am satisfied with your service, I will give this as a bonus…" Aldus pulled from his inner pocket a palm-sized box. He slowly opened the box, revealing a small pouch inside and a sweet scent permeated the room.

Vesper's eyes sparkled greedily.

"Focus grass?", she asked while her eyes didn't leave the pouch.

Aldus was pleased that Vesper took interest in what he has to offer. "Not just grass, these are perfectly preserved blooms. The highest quality."

He closed the box and kept it back in his pocket, to Vesper's obvious disappointment.

"You know how to bargain.", Vesper said and stood up. She glanced at me and gestured toward the door on my right, which I didn't notice before. "Please…"

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You can see Vesper's photo in the comments...

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