Prologue

No matter how hectic their lives became, Vivian and Richard Ashton always made time to read bedtime stories to their daughter, River. For years, they wove wild and adventurous tales that River was too young to fully grasp but somehow still lingered in her mind.

Then, one night, tragedy struck, leaving River all alone. A decade later, now sixteen, she's haunted by questions that no one will answer. When she uncovers the old stories again, a chilling realization dawns: these weren't just bedtime tales-they were a cryptic message from her parents, a puzzle left behind to lead her toward a truth darker than she could've ever imagined.