The giant monster Pthassiass wastes no time in attacking Conan and his companions, quickly gobling up the unfortunate serving girl Gwineer. Conan's blows barely do any damage to the creature, but he notices that it seems to avoid the living, magical garden itself. Conan manages to lure it into the plants, and the tendrils and vines attack and flay Pthassiass as Conan and Stefanya retreat with the amulet. When the reunite with Lupalina, the wold-woman reveals that she does indeed know Stefanya, and reveals the girl's history. She is the daughter of Thormond, the lord of Phalkar, whose demise was plotted by the wizards Thalkaldies and Elviriom. Lupalina, when she was called Samandra and was merely the lady-in-waiting to the Chrysala, Stefanya's mother, helped the wizards, but had a change of