Chapter 1: The Vanishing Hour The wind howled through the streets of Ravenwood as midnight struck. Eleanor Blackwood’s manor loomed over the town, its windows dark and foreboding. Inside, the grand chandelier flickered, casting jagged shadows on the walls. Detective Lila Hart, summoned by an anonymous tip, arrived at the scene. The mansion was eerily silent. Eleanor’s bedroom was empty, but a single crimson feather rested atop her mahogany desk. A chill ran down Lila’s spine. She had barely begun her investigation when a piercing scream tore through the manor from the library. Rushing to the source, she flung open the doors—and froze. On the floor lay a body she never expected to see.
