Serafina

> *"I'm the Chief Rat Catcher. I track down vermin."* - Serafina to Detective Grathan, *Twisted Staff*.
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The protagonist of Robert Beatty's *Serafina Series*, Serafina is a catamount, Biltmore Estate’s C.R.C. (Chief Rat Catcher), the Guardian of Biltmore, and the Black One.

Serafina is the adoptive daughter of Pa and the biological daughter of Leandra and her father. The cubs are her half-siblings.

Although having told Braeden Vanderbilt that she loved him, Serafina is currently in no romantic relationships.

## Appearance

### Human Form (Before her first transformation in T*wisted Staff*):

Serafina was small for her age, and skinny, nothing but muscle, bone, and sinew. She had sharp, feline features — especially her cheekbones — and pale skin marred by brutal scars. She had streaky gold and light brown hair; large amber or golden eyes; an unnaturally long, curved spine; eight toes; and deformed collarbones. In the graphic novel adaptation of the *Serafina Series*, Serafina has pointed ears.

### Human Form (After her first transformation in *Twisted Staff*):

Serafina is small for her age, and skinny, nothing but muscle, bone, and sinew. She has sharp, feline features — especially her cheekbones — and pale skin marred by brutal scars. She has smooth, shiny, silky, jet-black hair; large bright yellow eyes; an unnaturally long, curved spine; eight toes; and deformed collarbones. In the graphic novel adaptation of the *Serafina Series*, Serafina has pointed ears.

### Panther Form:

In her panther form, Serafina has black fur and yellow eyes. Like most panthers, she is described as lean but strong.

### Notable Scars Serafina Received (In Chronological Order)

* Claw wounds on her chest, given to Serafina by Leandra in panther form.
* Claw wounds on her arms, given to Serafina by Leandra in panther form.
* Bite wounds on her chest, given to Serafina by Leandra in panther form.
* A stab wound on her neck, given to Serafina by stabbing herself with the angel’s sword to defeat the Black Cloak.
* Bite wounds on her chest, given to Serafina by Uriah’s wolfhounds.
* Bite wounds on her arms, given to Serafina by Uriah’s wolfhounds.
* Bite wounds on her head, given to Serafina by Uriah’s wolfhounds.
* A long cut below her eye and across her cheek, given to Serafina by Rowena’s mind-controlled animals.
* Slash wounds on her torso, given to Serafina by Rowena through spell-work.
* Slash wounds on her arms, given to Serafina by Rowena through spell-work.
* Slash wounds on her face, given to Serafina by Rowena through spell-work.
* Puncture wounds on her shoulders, given to Serafina by the White Deer stabbing her with its antlers.
* Puncture wounds on her shoulders, given to Serafina by the White Deer stabbing her with its antlers.

## Relationships

Pa: Serafina loves her father.

Leandra: Serafina loves her mother.

The Cubs: The cubs are Serafina’s half siblings and the offspring of Leandra, Serafina’s mother. Serafina loves them, and has no problems going out of her way to help them — such as when she had to help them untangle themselves from barbed wire.

Braeden Vanderbilt: Braeden Vanderbilt is Serafina’s first and best friend. In Serafina and the Black Cloak, the two first meet when Serafina sneaks upstairs to tell someone about the Black Cloak and the disappearance of Clara Brahms. Braeden sees her and asks if she is lost. Serafina accidentally tells him her name, which is something she had never told anyone before, and was about to tell him what happened in the basement to Clara before being interrupted by Mr. Thorne.

The two meet again when Braeden saves Serafina from Mr. Crankshod. Serafina pretends she is a shoe-shine girl, and Braeden goes along with her story and invites her in the carriage with him as he goes to Asheville. They get to know each other better and Braeden shares his past with Serafina. Serafina and Braeden fight off the Man in the Black Cloak when the carriage gets stuck. They spend the night alone curled next to each other in the carriage. When Mr. Vanderbilt, Mr. Crankshod, Mr. Thorne, and Mr. Brahms find the carriage the next morning, Serafina sneaks into the woods and Braeden goes back with the men.

After Serafina returns to Biltmore, she goes to Braeden’s room and they talk. Serafina asks if she is strange, to which Braeden says that she is different, but he likes that about her. Braeden tells her that they are very good friends, which makes Serafina very happy. Braeden also gives Serafina a present, which is a long sleeved winter gown of red velvet detailed with charcoal and black velour. It is the first present and dress Serafina has ever received.

Serafina and Braeden work together to find out who the Man in the Black Cloak is. Braeden is upset though when Serafina accuses Mr. Thorne of being the Man in the Black Cloak. Serafina sets uses herself as bait to draw out Mr. Thorne after discovering that Mr. Thorne would be escorting Braeden away from Biltmore. After defeating the Mr. Thorne and destroying the Black Cloak, Serafina exits the forest with all the children and people trapped and finds that Braeden had set up a search party to go look for her. Braeden introduces Serafina to the Vanderbilts at the end of the first book.

Waysa:

Essie Walker: First meeting when the Essie was sent to deliver Serafina a letter in *Twisted Staff*, the two girls quickly developed a friendship.

Later when Serafina is going to be a Lady’s Maid, she specifically asked for Essie saying that they were friends.

Essie knows about Serafina being a catamount.

Jess Braddick: Jess and Serafina made fast friends, the two girls having similar interests. Jess and Serafina first meet when the carriages arrive at Biltmore and at first glance, both girls are skeptical about each other. Jess shines her intelligence and is loyal to Serafina, being a great ally towards Serafina the end of the fourth book.

Lady Rowena Fox-Pemberton:

## Biography

### Pre-Series

Serafina was born in the woods near Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, in 1887 to her mother, Leandra and her deceased father.

Leandra had to abandon the newborn Serafina in the woods because Serafina was human and she was not, the results of Leandra being “splintered” by the Black Cloak. Serafina was the only one of Leandra's four children to survive.

Being found in the woods by the man who would eventually become her Pa, Serafina was brought to a nearby church, in the hopes that the nuns who worked there would care for the infant. But the nuns refused saying that Serafina was deformed, that she would never be able to see or hear.

Unofficially adopted by her Pa, Serafina was required to stay in the basement and entirely out of sight growing up, only prowling around Biltmore Estate after everyone went to bed. Having been dubbed the C.R.C. (Chief Rat Catcher) by her Pa, Serafina spent these night-lit hours chasing, catching, and disposing of the vermin that terrorized the estate.

## Abilities

Shape-shifting — As a catamount, Serafina has the inborn ability to turn into a black panther.

Night Vision — Serafina has unnaturally sharp eyesight and can see in darkness.

Soundlessness — Serafina’s movements are completely silent.

Weak Elemental Manipulation — After Serafina was risen from the dead as a spirit, she had the temporary ability to manipulate the elements around her and dissolve herself into the elements at will. She retained this power after being returned to life, but it eventually faded away.

## Trivia:

* Serafina is one of two only known catamounts to have the splintered shards of her soul reunited after being torn asunder, the other being her mother, Leandra.

* Serafina hates drinking from glasses, preferring to drink from rivers or one of the basement’s many water spouts.

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page twelve
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page twelve
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page forty
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page thirteen
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page forty
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page one-hundred and sixty-seven
7. ↑ Serafina and Twisted Staff, page thirteen
8. ↑ Serafina and the Black Cloak, page thirteen
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page thirteen
10. ↑ Serafina and the Black Cloak, page thirteen
11. ↑ Serafina and the Black Cloak, page forty
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page fifty-three
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page fifty-three
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page twenty-four
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Serafina and the Black Cloak, page twenty-four
16. ↑ Serafina and the Twisted Staff, page three-hundred and fifty-one
17. ↑ Serafina and the Twisted Staff, page three-hundred and fifty-one
18. ↑ Serafina and the Twisted Staff, page three-hundred and fifty-one
19. ↑ Serafina and the Seven Stars, page fifty