Myro (Van Doren)

After twenty years of stability, the Van Doren Estate faces a crisis that threatens the family and the life they have built. A bus carrying students from Van Doren Prep fails to return from a field trip, and the disappearance quickly becomes a deeply personal emergency. Among those missing are the protagonist’s wife, children, extended family members, and several children connected to the school. When Voss’s computer program cannot locate the bus, the family loses a vital source of reassurance. What follows is a desperate effort to find their loved ones before time runs out. Rather than focusing on a new beginning, Myro explores what happens when an established family’s sense of security is suddenly taken away. Its central themes include family loyalty, protection, responsibility, and the emotional pressure of facing an unknown threat. The story also brings readers back into the interconnected world of Crea Reitan’s Van Doren series. This novella is intended for readers who enjoy LGBTQIA+ romance, established fictional families, high-stakes situations, and interconnected series. It is not suitable for younger readers: the author’s listing specifically warns that the story contains graphic scenes and situations and is intended for adults. Readers unfamiliar with the Van Doren books may find the established family connections easier to follow after reading earlier series entries.