The Case of the Romanian Bat

Zara Whispers's reputation has earned her a passport. But her first international sitting job might be her last. Invited to a centuries-old castle in Romania, Zara is tasked with caring for a very special Bat whose owner is away at a magical conference. The local rumors speak of vampires, but the truth is far more sinister: the Bat has been cursed by the owner's jealous assistant, and his thoughts are a jumbled cacophony of Romanian that Zara can't decipher. With the Monster responsible for the castle's historical disappearances loose and allied with the vengeful criminal Malachi, Zara is completely isolated. To solve the case, she must evolve her skills: she uses scientific research and a simple dog whistle to tune into the Bat's chaotic sonar, extracting the clear, emotional vision of the betrayal. When the villains spring their ambush, Zara relies on her exiled Fae ally, Lyra, whose ties to natural chaos exploit the Monster's hidden weakness. To survive, Zara must turn the Bat's own sound into an acoustic weapon, proving that in the world of magical crime, sometimes the most powerful defense is a little professional research and a perfectly timed squeal.