Seventeen-year-old Verity dreams of a vibrant life outside the Salt Islands. But she is forced to while away her days in the Highmoor family mansion with her older sister Camilla. For years, Camilla has been hiding a terrible secret: Verity sees ghosts, but considers them part of her childhood nightmares. Having learned the truth, the stunned Verity flees Highmoor at night and ends up at the estate of Duchess Bloem, the wife of the famous botanist. Verity is fascinated by the inhabitants of the luxurious estate, especially the charming and incredibly handsome son of the duchess. Alexandre Laurent is the ideal model for Verity's portraits. The love between them blossoms like a bud of an unlikely exotic plant, which, despite its sweet aroma, is deadly...