Eighth Circle

'They're leading him to the pool,' Peter said.

'It's their favourite place,' Crispin whispered.

'Now they are undressing him.'

'He's letting them do it,' Crispin gasped. 'I can hardly believe it. He's doing nothing to stop them. I thought I would see some sort of reflex reaction but he's just lying there and they are touching him all over.'

'They probably told him he would catch a deadly cold if he stayed in those wet clothes. It is said that they tell all their victims that sort of thing. They'll say the pool has special healing properties.'

'Yes,' Crispin winced. 'There are lots of private bathrooms. They could have sent him to one but they didn't. They took him to their pool.'

'And they jumped in after him.'

'Now what are they doing?'

'They used to call it foreplay.'

'You mean all that touching?'

'Yes. The people in the villages still do it. They are still reproducing like rabbits and mice. That's where those girls come from. Our ancestors haven't done it for at least five generations ... it's not safe.'

'Not safe since The Fall,' Crispin nodded gravely. 'Indiscriminate sexual reproduction can lead to appalling abnormalities. You only have to see the frightful things that have happened to the fish.'

'Absolutely,' Peter agreed. 'They are growing extra fins and even heads. I blame the chemicals as much as the radiation.'

'Father blames the pharmaceuticals,' Crispin said. 'It started with a pill that was used to prevent women from conceiving then it spread to other medicines. The companies were only interested in making money and ...'

'Did you see that?' Peter cut in.

'See what?'

'That hussy touched him in a very private place. And you should have seen the way he smacked her hand. You can tell he was greatly offended.'

'He would be,' Crispin said. 'The Lord of Light is a most upright and noble man. He eschews all forms of debased and licentious behaviour.'

'And his servant would be the same?'

'His servant?'

'The man who is on the island with your sister.'

'Yes. He would be the same,' Crispin said gravely.

'That's just as well then because he's going to spend the night with Liala. We can't get them off until tomorrow ... not unless we bring our plans forward.'

'I'm sure she will be safe with him. The man is a servant of the Lord of Light. He would not behave in a lustful or unseemly way with touching and that sort of thing.'