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enough, but it seemed he had been granted a night to settle in, more or less. So he took advantage of the idle hours and slipped out with Sethos.
    “ Alright, what’s the big idea?” Seth asked as soon as they were out of the Ruins. He had kept quiet long enough, discretionally in tuned with Godren’s subtle hints to wait for a better time, and he wasn’t going to wait any longer.
    “ Well, telling you this beforehand would have been pointless, because you would have only scoffed at me,” Godren began. “And honestly I didn’t think of it. But there is something you should know about Mastodon’s domain. Undoubtedly you’ve heard the rumors of the ghosts that haunt there. Up until just recently I thought them only rumors – stories to heighten her ominous reputation. But I think…gods, they must be real. Nothing goes on in her kingdom without her knowing, without her hearing. She knew when I brought you in. Unless it’s the walls keeping their eyes open for her, then the ghosts exist.”
    Sethos kept his eyes focused ahead of him as they walked, not looking fabulously thrilled with the situation. “Right. Smashing. So, basically, I’m out.”
    “ Unless you want to stay and lend your services like Mastodon expects.”
    Now, Seth looked at him. “I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t get me into anything else.”
    “ I was trying to help you, Seth,” Godren said, in no mood to be reprimanded about his attempt at a good deed. “I owe you some thing for all you did that night.” ‘That night’ was the designated reference to the nigth Sethos had crashed through the door raving about the accusations heaped on Godren, which had quickly turned to Sethos risking his own neck and innocence to spirit Godren out of town before the authorities and the angry townspeople raided his home and dragged him away. Godren had mostly been in shock from the accusations, and without Seth’s help he never would have escaped the mob.
    “ You don’t owe me anything,” Sethos said, but sounded a little bitter.
    “ Fine. I tried. Here’s your chance to get out, then. Go.” Sounding a little bitter himself, Godren halted as if to let Seth continue on his own. Sethos stopped as well, though, and faced Godren.
    “ See it’s not that easy, Godren. I threw away my life to see you safely out of Wingbridge, so what can I do but stick by your side? I don’t have anyone else, and I made you my responsibility that night.”
    “ You did more than you ever had to, Seth. You owe me nothing. I appreciate what you did; now leave me and get out of this mess. It is that easy. That easy.”
    “ I can’t accept it, Ren,” Seth said, shaking his head with a tired look in his eyes. “I can’t do it.”
    They looked at one another for a few moments, eyes sharing something dire and weary, something angry and even more loyal.
    “ Then I don’t want to hear about what I do to get you into trouble,” Godren said. “I’m sorry I’ve been nothing but bad luck on your shoulders, but I take no credit for binding you to my side.”
    Seth didn’t reply, ducking his head in troubled, serious thought.
    “ She’s slime, Seth. Just like you said. It’s going to get messy, and deep. I don’t expect you to stay.”
    Thinking still, Seth shifted his stance, not speaking.
    “ With crafty bargaining you get out of cold-blooded killing, but what’s the use if the alternative is maiming and paralyzing? Mastodon is where I crossed the line, Seth. There’s no going back for me. I’m caught. Sure I have hopes of breaking free – but we all realize they’re unrealistic at this point. I don’t really expect to anymore. So keep trying while you still can. You’re not as wanted as I am. You have a chance.”
    Seth looked back up and met his eyes again. Godren was finished, ready to turn away as soon as he gave in. “I’m staying, Ren.”
    Something in Godren’s eyes fell, but then it was replaced by hard acceptance.
    “ I gave everything up