She turned on her heel so fast I almost flinched, and her eyes fumed with anger as she balled her fists at her sides. “What is wrong withme? Me?!” She jabbed her finger into my chest, pushing me backward toward the wall. “I have been here for a week, and you’ve barely even acknowledged my presence. I have to nag you for a simple greeting in the mornings!"
“I’m busy, Morrigan!” I reminded her. “Dez and Cass might enjoy slacking off, but I have villages to run. I have people to manage, and money that needs to be?—”
Her crude laugh interrupted me. “Money—the only thing youactuallycare about.” She began shoving her finger against me again, harder this time. “Gold.”Jab.“Jewels.”Jab.“All you care about is your stupid… fucking… money!”
This time, she slammed both of her hands against my chest, and my back hit a nearby wall. I had never actually seen her so angry.
“Morrigan,” I whispered. “Okay… We can… I don’t know. We can do something—go somewhere?—”
“Why would I want to doanythingwith you, Eris?!” Her fair cheeks burned a deep maroon as her anger shone through her eyes. “You care for no one other than yourself. You areselfish.”
Her icy words struck deep, hitting a hollow part of myself that I knew existed, but much preferred to keep locked away. “I… I care aboutyou, Morrigan.”
She laughed again, stepping back and putting space between us. “No, you don’t.” Turning on her heel to walk away, she peered over her shoulder once more. “Even if Ididhave a choice, Eris, itneverwould have been you.”
“Morrigan…” I muttered under my breath.
Why did that hurt?
As she walked away, the sound of her heels against the floor rang in my ears, throbbing with each step. “You can keep your gold, Eris!” she yelled back. “It’s all you’re good for anyway!”
Just then, her hand touched the wall as she turned down another hall, and a small yellow stain was spread by her palm as she slid it away. I had to squint my eyes to even notice it, but as I moved closer, it glinted in the light, and I realized it was…gold.
Why is there gold on the?—
My own thoughts paused as the smear of gold leaf turned to liquid and began to move, trickling up toward the paintings and latching on to the wall like a parasite. “What the…” The gold continued to move, covering the entire wall and seeping onto the floor.
I had to take a shuddering step back as I reeled in confusion. Morrigan couldn’t have done that. “Morrigan!” I yelled, but she didn’t answer. Actually, now that I had thought about it,no oneseemed to be around. Not a single servant… No guards…
The liquid gold continued to spread, and I quickly ran down the hall to follow after her. The walls had already been gilded completely, and the floors were so slick that I almost slipped as I searched for her.
“Morrigan!” I yelled, but as I tried to open each door as I passed, they were sealed shut by the liquid gold that had now solidified.
“Morrigan! Where are you?!”
When I finally made it to the end of the hall, I noticed the door to the library was left open. But it, too, had been entirely gilded. I felt a sense of unease as I approached the room slowly.
“Morrigan?” I whispered, though the nerves began spiraling into dread as I stepped through the doors. The second I saw her, the breath that I had been holding finally left my lungs.
“Eris,” she whimpered, her feet stuck in a liquified part of the gold that was still soft, but hardened enough to keep her from moving. “Eris, help me.”
I ran to her, but stopped at the edge of the solid part of the floor. “Give me your hand, Morrigan,” I instructed her, reaching out to grab hers.
“Eris, I’m scared.” Small tears fell down her cheeks, and she kept her arms out, steady but trembling in fear. “What’s happening, Eris?!”
As she yelled, her body shifted a little, and the gold moved slightly up her gown. When it touched different parts of her skin, it seemed to harden almost immediately.
“Morrigan, stay still!” I warned her.
If I grab her, will the gold stop? Or will it move again?
“Eris!” she yelled, and more gold crept up her gown, stiffening the fabric.
What do I do?!I yelled at myself internally. I had to make a decision. I couldn’t just leave her there. So, without thinking, I reached out and grabbed her fingers, yanking her arm toward me, and we both tumbled to the ground together. I rolled her onto her back and looked down at her dress to check the gold.
“Is it moving?!” Her voice cracked as she shook beneath me, clinging to my arms as tightly as she could. “Eris, say something!”
“No,” I sighed in relief. “It’s not—” I stopped once I reached her face. Small, gilded tendrils began crawling over her hair, making their way to her cheeks. “No,” I breathed out. “No, no, no…”
