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door.
    â€œWell, it’s no surprise to find out Mrs. Yeoh’s friends are as demanding as she is!” Bindi whispered to Robert.
    Outside the room, gold-painted passages led in three separate directions. It felt almost like a maze. They could hear Mrs. Yeoh’s voice echoing from the banquet hall. Now that they’d escaped the party, they weren’t sure what to do next.
    They started walking down the corridor nearest to them when they heard a bloodcurdling scream.

The echo down the passage made it hard to figure out what direction the scream was coming from. The kids raced back the way they had come and nearly collided with Jasmine, the little girl they’d met in the garden earlier in the evening. She was cradling her hand, looking disorientated, and crying hard.
    â€œJasmine, are you hurt? What’s wrong?” asked Bindi.
    Jasmine howled, “She didn’t like my flower, she didn’t like my flower.”
    â€œWho didn’t like your flower?” asked Robert.
    â€œTh-the big lizard didn’t like my flower. I tried to give it to her and she…she bit me!” She showed the siblings her hand. There were puncture marks, blood, and a definite swelling between her thumb and first finger.
    â€œOooh, bet that hurt,” Robert said.
    Jasmine responded by howling even louder.
    Bindi threw her brother a disapproving look. “Jasmine, where’s your mum? We need to get your bite looked at by an adult.”
    Jasmine looked up fearfully. “Mother’s away. And Aunty Cynthia’s looking after me—but don’t tell her.”
    â€œWhy not?” asked Bindi.
    â€œBecause she told me to stay away from the Magenta Garden. That’s an extra special part of the garden. And she said I wasn’t allowed to go in there, but I’d been near there earlier, and I saw the big lizard through the hedge. She looked lonely, and I thought she would like a flower…like yours.” She pointed to the hibiscus Bindi still had behind her ear.
    â€œJasmine needs to see a doctor right away!” said Bindi to Robert. She had a feeling this was not a normal garden lizard!
    From the hall came the sound of applause. Mrs. Yeoh must have finally finished her speech.
    Jasmine sobbed. “I feel sore…and dizzy…and my head hurts. But don’t tell Aunty Cynthia. Don’t tell her.”
    Bindi grabbed hold of the little girl as she sank to the ground in a faint. She hoisted her into her arms and ran toward the hall entrance, with Robert right behind her. Karl the butler appeared in the doorway.
    â€œLittle Jasmine! What happened to her?” he said, looking alarmed.
    â€œPlease, you need to call an ambulance. I think Jasmine has been bitten by a Komodo dragon, and their saliva is poisonous. She needs to be given strong antibiotics immediately.”
    The butler looked dumbfounded. “A Komodo dragon? Where? That can’t be…”
    Robert nodded, having come to the same conclusion. “If we’re right, Jasmine may die unless you call an ambulance right now!”
    Karl wasted no time. He grabbed the unconscious little girl and ran with her toward a nearby study, where he could call an ambulance.
    The kids were left alone in the large corridor for a moment. “He’ll make sure she gets help,” Bindi said.
    Robert cast a quick look back in the direction of the banquet hall and then glanced toward the front door. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he asked, grabbing a flashlight from his pocket.
    Bindi grinned. “Let’s go lizard hunting!”

The kids raced out of the main entrance to the house. Most of the garden was floodlit, but there was an area to one side that looked more private. They instinctively headed in that direction and soon came upon a large hedge. Robert shone his flashlight over the area. They could both see a beautiful magenta bougainvillea plant draped along the top of the