The Devil Touched Me Gently

bleak sto

he voice of raging gods. The old windmill groaned in the wind; the trees bowed as if in worship or in fe

ame th

ace, wind snapping at the thin tunic he was wearing. There at the forest edge of the valley, where it is usuall

est. Each step carried him nearer to the crackling heat, to t

was

hair dark and damp with rain. Smoke curled around his skin, like a lover's fingers. When he turned, it was

nge. No

ike a

ed. "What

an parted. "You s

something silken underneath it. Contradiction,

aking a step forward. "You-ho

standing before him-tall and po

breath

s parting the flames as he went. His bare feet kissed

" he added, "unles

g magnetic about him, something dangerous, yes, but also beautiful. Like the first

you?" Eli

ber," he said.

like that. As if time h

hen I felt you coming." He tilted his head, ey

pulse

absurdity of this moment-standing among the soaked leaves,

k another step

hy

said softly, "Because I haven't seen a

But y

s I on

ised. Scars laced his sides, while the back bore fresh cuts:

replied before he co

inside, and Eli did his best to keep his eyes off the shape of the stranger: smooth but worn, sculpte

ally, setting the oil lamp upon the tabl

you want," he said

. "How abo

on." A long pause follo

way he said it sent

i," he

ded once

f memorizing it-the cracked floor, the herb bundles

alone?"

d. "Alway

hy

ask you t

sn't made for solitude. But I bec

him, but Amon gave

arn," Eli offered. "It'

Then more softly, "You d

like you nee

e stood still for a moment, turned

n he wa

Eli did n

ed-eyed soft low words from a man who said the fire was only hi

m this was the st

e, also,