Eighth Circle - Page 39/164

'Go!'

The chancellor rotated the beam and the podium corkscrewed down. Nearing the bottom, it halted and the chancellor got in a few last words.

'Your young friends await you, Professor.'

After that, it sank into the hub and reappeared at the bottom. A pod arrived. Peter saw a flash of yellow and guessed the Lord of Light was inside.

'They'll be taking him to the sirens,' he moaned.

'That's right,' Crispin nodded. 'The licentious hussies will ravish him and threaten him with numerous torments if he does not submit to their desires. Then, when the poor man is exhausted, Dafne will burst in and take him to the furies.'

'The guardians will watch it on their tablets,' Peter gasped. 'It's their idea of entertainment. They will follow his humiliation at the hands of the sirens and gloat over his agonies as he is torn to pieces by the furies.'