Gilded Dead
A Marla Raines Story
Short Story | 800-Words | April 2025
If The Dresden Files and The City We Became had a hex-scarred lovechild, it’d be Gilded Dead.
Arcano-forensics specialist Marla Raines is called to investigate a gilded corpse in her old neighborhood—and uncovers a magical conspiracy tangled in charmwork, corruption, and memory.
As the case unravels, Marla finds herself navigating crooked Bureau politics, unstable spellwork, and the ghosts—both literal and otherwise—she thought she'd left behind. The dead don’t gild themselves. And some magic refuses to stay buried.
Gritty, queer, and spell-bound, Gilded Dead is an urban fantasy noir where curses cut deep, justice is never clean, and survival means choosing who you stand with.
🏆 2nd Place Winner – Baen Fantasy Adventure Award