Already died

“My dear, do you really think that I’d sign a contract
that gave Crunchgnar a chance at my soul, even if I did
reach sixty-five?”
“I’ve read the contract,” Miss Highwater said. “It’s
airtight. The definitions are specific. The contract
spends two pages on defining times, measures, and
ages! You . . .”
She trailed off as Davriel settled back, smiling.
“How?” she hissed. “How did you trick him?”
“He gets my soul,” Davriel whispered, “if I live to
sixty-five without dying.”
“Ah, hell . . .” Miss Highwater said, her eyes wid-
ening. “You’ve died once already, haven’t you? How?”
Davriel just continued to smile.
“All that talk of times and measures in the contract,”
Miss Highwater said, “it was just a distraction, wasn’t
it? I never realized . . . Hellfire! And they call us demons.”

Chapter 8