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He lowered his hands over his belly once again, ignoring the sliers He wanted to howl to the heavens Not with pain, although it felt like a hot poker had been stuck in his belly to be stirred around every once in a while But that wasn’t what enerals, and all those other ht It was death itself that ured he’d lived a good enough life that the heavenly reward the scriptures pro behind that h he knew sos were not Christian-like and would probably send hie of death, it would have been worth it He’d have given up heaven itself to revenge the wrongs done to those he loved
He sighed and lay back in theabout the filth or even the stench It didn’t seeotten accusto Either way, he didn’t have it in him to care
The soldier closest to him fell abruptly silent and Duncan closed his eyes in prayer for the man’s soul He only hoped there’d be someone left to pray for hiht behind his closed eyelids, and his heart kicked up a bit Maybe this was it after all
"You aren’t hurt so bad, boy," a deep voice said, the accent one he’d never heard before
Duncan’s eyes flashed open and he stared at the eon who’d come by earlier, and he’d only shaken his head sadly andskills on those who couldn’t be saved And that included Duncan and every other uts were fouled They’d be picked up eventually by those tasked with collecting the dead and dying But Duncan wasn’t dead yet, so as this stranger and what did he want?
The ed his final thoughts of vengeance and sentenced him to hell after all Because this was no ordinary ht, with an unholy silver glea peered out froer than any er than Duncan, and he was counted a big er smiled and his teeth were clean and white "I’m not your Christian devil And this isn’t hell" He looked around with a frown "Or not the one you’re thinking of anyway"
Duncan stared "How do you knohat I’?" he whispered, his mouth almost too dry to form the words
"I know aze on hiain "I know you don’t have to die today" He studied Duncan intently "Unless you wish to"
Duncan felt a surge of hope, quickly followed by fear He wanted to live, at least long enough to seek his vengeance, but what price would this devilishfor free But then, sos orth any price
"I want to live," he said, taking a chance
"No questions, no negotiation?" the htly "Are you so quick to deal with the devil, Duncan Milford?"
"How do you knowhard
"I told you I know s But let us discuss our deal first I will save your life tonight, but in exchange, I want your service"
Duncan blinked Was the stranger a spy for the Union then? Did he think Duncan had some useable information? Because he surely did not "What sort of service?" he asked, curious despite hied "I’m a traveler to this place I need soht I spoke it well enough before I got here," the man added in an aside
Duncan exah perhaps a bit too well The very correctness of his speech gave away his foreign roots, that and the accent which Duncan still couldn’t place
Duncan shifted, trying to ease the renewed pain in his gut "You wantand stirring again He fell quiet, willing it to be gone for a fewhis eyes, he tried to re to greet hian to fade as a wave of fresh agony seared his guts and blackness stole his ain, he knew tier who knelt next to hirowled "How do you feel?"
Duncan licked his dry lips, grie taste in hisof bile which was all he’d tasted since being wounded He drew a cautious breath, not wanting to awaken the pain, and realized his gut hurt no more than a mild ache He looked down in shock His trousers were still torn and bloody, but his stomach hole, the skin puckered with raw, red scars instead of split and spilling shiny gray intestine Duncan stared, then looked up in sudden terror This was surely unholy
The h, Milford I’ve already told you, I’m not the devil Doesn’t your God heal as well? Now, do you want ain or not? You live, and in return, you serve as my aide"
Duncan stared "But you’ve already healed ently "So I have"
Well, this was vexing, Duncan thought For this was no trick The worst of the pain was gone And not only the pain from the wound which wouldhe’d broken as a child The break had healed poorly and had pained hi here in the mud and blood, he felt better than he could reift froer did not bear the likeness of any of the deood books, nor did he carry himself like one in the way the ave no indication he would take back his healing if Duncan refused the bargain, which a servant of the devil surely would have done