“Cyrus,” she said suddenly. He halted at once, meeting her eyes. “Why, exactly, did you make a deal with the devil?” Cyrus blinked slowly, visibly thrown by her question. “I thought you didn’t care,” he said. “I thought you said I was no doubt suffering the consequences of my own sins.” “And are you not?” This, he didn’t answer, not at first. He seemed to be assessing her, deciding whether she was worth an honest response before he said, quietly, “I was desperate. And stupid.”
