crucifyheaven

Detective Ian Wren thought he had escaped the ghosts of his past, but the murder of Eleanor Montgomery pulls him into a web of deceit that threatens to unravel Hollow’s Edge. Eleanor was more than a philanthropist—she was the keystone of the town’s power dynamics. Her death exposes dark secrets tied to the elusive Crimson Hour Society, a shadowy group with ties to corruption and betrayal.

As Ian investigates, he uncovers layers of lies, each piece revealing deeper connections between Hollow’s Edge’s elite and Eleanor’s tragic demise. But the closer Ian gets to the truth, the more dangerous the game becomes. With each passing hour, Ian faces threats, red herrings, and the ghosts of his unsolved case—forcing him to confront his own failure and unravel the darkness hiding in plain sight.

In a town where trust is fleeting and redemption comes at a price, Ian must uncover the truth before the Crimson Hour strikes again.

The Crimson Hour

Chapter 16: The Pact Revealed

The parlor was a storm of chaos as the hooded man lunged at Ian Wren, his knife glinting wickedly in the dim light. Ian reacted instinctively, twisting to the side and clutching the black box tighter against his chest. Sheriff Evelyn Cross fired a warning shot into the air, the deafening crack forcing the figure to halt momentarily.

"Stay back!" Evelyn barked, her gun trained steadily on the attacker.

The hooded man chuckled darkly, his movements fluid as he retreated into the shadows of the room. His voice, low and raspy, echoed unnaturally. "You cannot break the pact. It binds us all."

Ian's breath came in ragged bursts as he stepped closer to the spiral symbols scrawled on the walls. Something in the air felt off—charged and alive, as though the room itself was reacting to the presence of the box. "What is the pact?" he demanded, his voice sharp. "What does the box do?"

The man tilted his head, his hood shifting slightly to reveal piercing, shadowed eyes. "The hour cannot be undone," he rasped. "The pact binds us to power, to the shadows. You think that box will save you? It will destroy you."

Clara Montgomery stood frozen by the doorway, her hands trembling. Her face was pale, her wide eyes darting between Ian and the hooded figure. "He's lying," she whispered, though her voice wavered. "He's trying to scare us."

The man's chuckle deepened, his tone mocking. "You don't even know, do you? The girl, the detective, the sheriff—you're all part of the hour now. You've touched the box. It's already begun."

Ian's grip tightened on the box, his mind racing. He didn't believe the man's cryptic warnings, but a nagging fear gnawed at the edge of his thoughts. The spirals on the walls pulsed faintly, their glow growing brighter with each passing second.

Evelyn stepped forward, her gun still aimed at the figure. "Leave now, or I swear I won't miss this time."

The man retreated further into the shadows, his movements unnervingly smooth. "You think you can escape the hour?" he hissed. "The pact binds us all, and it will take what it's owed."

With that, he vanished into the darkness, leaving the room eerily quiet. The spirals stopped pulsing, their glow fading to nothing, but the oppressive energy in the air remained.

Ian turned to Evelyn, his voice steady despite the tension thrumming through his veins. "We need to figure out how to open this box. If this pact is tied to it, we need to break it before they come back."

Clara approached cautiously, her steps hesitant. "My mother said it couldn't be opened by force," she murmured. "She said it had to be unbound."

Ian frowned. "What does that mean?"

Clara shook her head, her expression conflicted. "I don't know. But she said the box held the hour—that if it was opened, everything would change."

Evelyn's jaw tightened as she holstered her gun. "Change how? What happens if we break the pact?"

Ian stared at the box, its surface cold and unyielding. He could feel the weight of the unknown pressing down on him. The society's power, the spirals, the sacrifices—everything led back to this object. But if breaking the pact meant dismantling the Crimson Hour Society, he knew they couldn't hesitate.

"We find out," Ian said firmly. "But we need answers before we make a move. Whatever this box holds, it's the key to everything."