The door creaked as Hermes pushed it open. The botanical garden wasn't just a garden at all. The air was heavy with the mixed smells of soil, herbs, and something faintly chemical. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books, preserved animals floating in jars, insects pinned under glass, plants blooming in carefully labeled pots.
The air was damp, and the faint buzzing of unseen insects echoed against the glass ceiling. A small fountain trickled in the corner, though the water was green with algae. Every corner of the room looked touched by some experiment, some strange curiosity.
Butterflies spread their wings in a collection, dead but undying through chemicals. A row of reptiles in cloudy jars leaned against one wall, their eyes open and pale, watching without watching.
In the center….
A tree reached so tall it had broken through the ceiling.
