Your name, little earth-apple . . . give it to me, and quickly. What did they call you, when last you were alive, mi conquistador?
Stretched out full-length, the man coughed again — gathered his strength even in devilry’s overt face, like any warrior of the one true God.
Then rose to meet his brave new life, unashamed in his tall, salt-glazed nakedness, and replied — “. . . Sheriff Mesach Love.”
TO BE CONTINUED IN
A ROPE OF THORNS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
GEMMA FILES
Gemma Files was born in London, England and raised in Toronto, Canada. Her story “The Emperor’s Old Bones” won the 1999 International Horror Guild award for Best Short Fiction. She has published two collections of short work (Kissing Carrion and The Worm in Every Heart, both Prime Books) and two chapbooks of poetry (Bent Under Night, Sinnersphere Productions, and Dust Radio, from Kelp Queen Press). A Book of Tongues is her first novel, and will be followed by a sequel, A Rope of Thorns. Find out more about her at http://musicatmidnight-gfiles.blogspot.com/.