It had been a long month.

Between the dead drops, the coded messages, and one particularly exhausting incident involving a submarine and a very uncooperative harbor seal, Ava and Queen Permafrostia had decided they needed a day off.

“We are driving,” Permafrostia announced, already in the passenger seat wearing her largest sunglasses. “Nowhere in particular. Just away.”

Ava drove. The city gave way to quiet streets, tall trees, and the kind of neighborhood where the gardens were tidy and the mailboxes were shaped like little houses. It was exactly the sort of place where nothing unusual ever happened.

That’s when Ava saw it.

Taped to a large oak tree, slightly crooked and written in surprisingly neat handwriting, was a sign

Experienced nannies sought for household of six.

Must love children. Snacks provided.

Enquire within.

Ava slowed the car to a stop.

“Keep driving,” said Permafrostia, without looking up from her compact mirror.

“I just want to see the house,” said Ava.

“That is what people say before everything goes wrong.”

“It’s probably a lovely family,” Ava said, already turning into the driveway. “How hard could it be?”

Permafrostia slowly closed her compact mirror and looked at her friend. “You said that about the submarine.”

But Ava was already out of the car, walking toward the front door with the particular purposeful stride of a woman who has designed load-bearing walls and is not afraid of anything.

As they approached, Ava happened to glance through the front window.

Inside, dangling from the chandelier with the pure unbothered joy of someone who saw absolutely nothing wrong with the situation, was a very small panda.

He swung left. He swung right. He grabbed a fistful of crystals, seemed to reconsider, then swung left again.

Ava stopped walking.

Permafrostia, who had been two steps behind her, stopped as well. She followed Ava’s gaze to the window. She looked at the panda. The panda swung cheerfully back.

“We are leaving,” said Permafrostia.

“We can’t leave,” said Ava. “He could fall.”

“He looks very comfortable.”

“Permafrostia.”

Permafrostia sighed the sigh of a queen who already knew how this was going to end. “Fine. But I am not responsible for whatever is on the other side of that door.”

Ava knocked.

There was a long pause. Then the sound of something being knocked over inside. Then whispering. Then what sounded like a brief argument in at least three different languages. Then the distinct sound of someone being told to get down from there right now. Then silence.

The door opened.