“I’m here to rescue you,” said the demon.

The man peered up at him.

“Rescue?” he said.

“Yes. Why are you here?”

The man hung his head. “I spoke blasphemy against the king.”

“How did you do that?”

“I dropped a rock on my foot. Now my tongue is to be torn out.”

The dark figure nodded sympathetically.

“A priest heard you, did he?” he said.

“No. I told a priest. Such words should not go unpunished,” said the man virtuously.

We’re really good at it, Teppic thought. Mere animals couldn’t possibly manage to act like this. You need to be a human being to be really stupid. “I think we ought to talk about this outside,” he said. “Why not come with me?”

The man pulled back and glared at him.

“You want me to run away?” he said.

“Seems a good idea, wouldn’t you say?”

The man stared into his eyes, his lips moving silently. Then he appeared to reach a decision,

“Guards!” he screamed.

— Pyramids by Terry Pratchett (Discworld, #7)