Chapter I
Chapter I
At a ball celebrating a bumblebee pageant to be held the next day, a brawl breaks out at the Grand Hotel Astraviya. During the confusion a prize bumblebee belonging to Luciana Morena, a wealthy and influential Sluagh gentlewoman, is kidnapped.
Octavio, a diplomatic attaché who had escorted Doña Luciana to the soiree, takes charge of the investigation. Earnest, who was a direct participant in the brawl, is roped in, along with his companion Sylvie (the pair had been there for nefarious purposes). Bystanders Malakai and Litha also tag along.
After some light intimidation, it is discovered that Nestor (a shady bellhop that was bribed to let Sylvie and Earnest into the ball) also let in a Fairy named Boris, who instigated the brawl. The trail leads to a Boggart gangster named Luther. Although Luther did not actually kidnap Joya, he is attempting to counterfeit the bee using papers provided by Doña Luciana's Secretary, Walter Rivler.
Returning to the Grand Hotel Astraviya, it is discovered that Walter is behind the whole scheme, but he only reveals the location of Joya in exchange for immunity. The bumblebee, as it turned out, had never even left the room. Despite the duplicitous Slyph escaping into the night, the investigators are handsomely rewarded by the eccentric amateur zoologist Viscount Oleg Protopopolov, who finds the eclectic group of littlings utterly fascinating (especially Sylvie).