Titans of Chaos

"Miss Windrose, I do not wish to pressure you unduly, and yet, in all honesty (if that phrase hasany meaning, under the circumstances), I would be remiss in my duties, not to mention personallyplaced in a very awkward position, if the material universe were to come to a bloody and abruptend, merely because I was too gentle-hearted to do what it was necessary to do in order tomaintain our security. I can make myself be a rather harsh and cruel man, even a barbarian,should circumstances warrant. I leave it to you to determine-yes, that is the word,determine-whether events shall progress in a civilized or in an uncouth fashion. I am, indeed, aterrible person, Miss Windrose. I trust you have not forgotten the messages, written in thelanguage of pain, which I caused to be written on the bodies of Grendel Glum and Mestor theAtlantean, whom you knew by the name Dr. Drinkwater?"

While he spoke, he pushed his hand more deeply beneath the water, and it grew colder and colder.

I was staring at his hand in horror. His knuckles, his wrist, his forearm were now below the waterlevel. The suds in that section of the tub were wilting and dying; the water was taking on thecrystal clarity only truly cold water can display. I was huddled up against the far side of the tub,as far as the confined space would allow.

The picture I had in my imagination was me, nude, inside a solid block of tub-shaped ice, beingcarried on his shoulder back to the school.

He pulled his hand back, smiled unpleasantly. The water dripping down his forearm turned whiteand formed a little glove of frost, which he shook contemptuously to the floor tiles.

"Are you threatening me?" I said, trying to sound stern.

He swallowed a snort. Apparently I did not do stern that well. "Ah... Not in so many words, MissWindrose: But to a person of even limited intelligence, I deem the implication would be clear. Onemight be tempted to say, 'painfully clear'; but, in order to avoid disproportionate drollery let ussimply say, pellucid. Surely the matter is... ah... pellucid to you, Miss Windrose?"

"You are going to rape and torture me if I don't talk."

A slight tension pulled at the corners of his mouth. Embarrassment? Humor? Temptation?"