I tried pulling her away, but she was stuck to the ground now.
“Eris, please!” she cried out. “Why won’t you help me?!”
“I’m trying!” I rasped, fear stuck in my throat and welling in my eyes.This can’t be real… This can’t be…“What the fuck is happening?!”
“Please don’t do this to me.” Her chest shook as she sobbed, but the gold had reached her nose now.
“I don’t know what to do, Morrigan,” I admitted, trying to cling to any part of her that hadn’t been gilded over.
As a single tear fell from her eye, the gold caught it and solidified the drop against her skin like it had been sculpted there.
“Morrigan,” I whispered. “No… Stop… I can’t…”
Even with my hands touching her face, the gold slid beneath my fingers and covered the last pink patch of skin. I screamed. I couldn’t hold her, couldn’t even see the blue in her eyes anymore.
She was…Everythingwas… gold.
Alone again…a voice whispered nearby, but I didn’t pay it any mind. I just kept running my hands over her plated skin, hoping it would just go away.Even with all of the gold in this world, you will always be alone in the end.
Chapter 36
MORRIGAN
My heart thundered hard in my chest, causing the tiny strands of hair on my arms to stand straight.
There were so many of them. I counted at least ten that were visible, but I wasn’t a fool. Hundreds had been created during the war, and every single one of them were placedhere. They could be anywhere…
If Malakai helps me, he’d have to let go of Azrael…
As the gnawing anxiety dug a hole into my stomach, I backed up just enough for Malakai to hear me. “Take him back,” I whispered.
It was all that I could do. If I stayed here and distracted them just enough, perhaps Malakai would be able to get away with Azrael. He just needed to makeit to the castle.
Instead of following my command, Malakai released a chuff that sounded an awful lot like, “Not going to happen.”
“Malakai,” I hissed quietly. “We are outnumbered. Azrael can’t?—”
“I can help!” he insisted behind me. The sound of his voice caused one of the creatures to twitch a little.
They’re going to attack at any moment. Ihaveto get him out of here.
“Azrael,” I whispered over my shoulder, careful not to move my head too much. “If you stay here, I won’t be able to focus. I’ll be too distracted; I need you to?—”
“I’m not leaving you!”
That stubborn little…
Malakai let out a strong puff of air as if in agreement, and I wanted to stab him with one of his own blades. How had I been outnumbered by a mutated wolf and a child? Before I could attempt to argue further, one of the vampyres let out another screech and suddenly began to charge at us.
I wasn’t sure what overcame me, but I swiped one of the blades from its holster and threw it toward the creature. When it pierced between its eyes, I almost staggered a step in surprise. The next one ran at us, and I grabbed at the blade sheathed on my chest, fumbling with the harness. But I pulled it out just in time, throwing it at the vampyre only twenty feet away.
Oh, gods… There’s no way we can make it back like this…
I had six small blades now, and one dagger strapped at my side. The moment I pulled another one out, ready to throw, I heard a quick rush of wind behind me, before Mal yelled, “Cover me!”
I threw three more blades toward the approaching vampyres, and Azrael yelped with each strike. Their movements were sporadic, like theyknewthey would eventually get to us, but chose to sacrifice one after the other. It was agameto them.
It only took Malakai a couple of seconds to dress himself in the pants he had stuffed into the bag, and then he pulled out a few more blades for himself. “Into the trees, little wolf,” he ordered Azrael. “Just like I’ve taught you. Climb high, andstaythere.”
