THE HEIRESS THEY BURRIED
The spiral staircase gave a groan so deep it seemed to come from the earth itself, and then, all at once, silence.
The group stood in the wet grass of Raven Hill Cemetery, soaked, bruised, breathing hard, watching as the grave marker that had once read *Reserved* settled back into place over solid, undisturbed ground.
No seam.
No hinge.
No sign that anything had ever moved.
Alexander walked forward and pressed his palm flat against the stone, as though he half expected it to open again if he asked nicely enough.
It didn't.
"It's gone," he said. "Completely gone."