The Roses: A Rose in the Forest (Circle of Roses, #9)

Her first case. A missing boy. Sometimes being a Rose is the hardest thing....

Sylvia "Sylvie" Langly, a 22-year-old psychic investigator, takes on her first solo case when an 8-year-old boy named Tommy Mitchell disappears during a school field trip to Whispering Pines Forest. What begins as a missing child case becomes a confrontation with a tragic supernatural entity that has been trapping children across seven decades.

She receives her grandmother's diamond rose pin, symbolizing her official status as a Rose investigator. Immediately, desperate father Robert Mitchell arrives seeking help-his son Tommy vanished three days ago near an abandoned ranger station, and police have found nothing. The Rescue When Sylvie becomes trapped herself, her sister Dana-despite having suppressed her psychic abilities for years-rushes to help. The sisters' blood connection creates a psychic anchor that keeps Sylvie tethered to reality. Sylvie reaches Ezekiel not through force but empathy.

The story explores their difficult adjustments and the psychological toll on Sylvie, who processes her trauma through therapy. Dana officially joins the family business as a Rose, and the sisters become investigative partners. This novella blends urban fantasy, psychological horror, and family drama with an emphasis on emotional intelligence over combat. It's a character-driven story about empathy, healing, and the courage to face darkness while remaining compassionate.