This disappearance sets off a chain of events that leads Stephanie and Skulduggery on a quest to find him and uncover a sinister conspiracy involving:
* The Faceless Ones: A group of powerful, ancient beings with a hidden agenda.
* The skullduggery and mystery surrounding Gordon's disappearance: Stephanie discovers that her uncle was not who he seemed, and his disappearance is linked to a hidden world of magic and danger.
* Stephanie's own growing abilities: As she gets involved in this world, Stephanie discovers she has magical abilities of her own, which she must learn to control.
The core conflict revolves around Stephanie's quest to find her uncle and unravel the truth behind his disappearance, while also facing the danger of the Faceless Ones and learning to control her newfound magic.