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“Unfortunately,” said Rasalased, “I believe my sister is right about you not being trustworthy.”

“Ouch!”

“However, if you were to fulfill your end of a bargain first, then your trustworthiness would be a non-factor.”

“Oh? Hmm. But that’d mean opening myself up to being easily betrayed by you, instead.”

“It would, yes,” said Rasalased. “But that is the price you must pay for being of such ill-repute. Perhaps if you had lived your life more forthrightly, then you would be able to enjoy the accompanying privileges.”

“Mm, I both resent and doubt that. People are way too untrusting in general for someone to be given the benefit of the doubt with any sort of regularity.” He gave a shrug. “But anywho, lemme hear what else you wanted to ask. Sounds like there might be room to negotiate for Asad and Qorvass’ lives, depending on how the rest of this conversation goes.”

“Very well,” said the Dry God. “Next, I wish to ask about your experiences with other realms. Have you visited any of them?”

Morgunov pursed his lips, thinking. That was a tough one to answer, actually. “Visited? Uh... hmm. What counts as visiting? Because I’ve definitely done a bit of otherworldly traveling in my day, but such events for me have always been more... ‘out-of-body experiences’ than anything.”

“I see. So your corporeal form has always remained here, in this realm?”

“That’s right,” said Morgunov. “I know a guy who had a more involved experience like what you’re talking about, but sadly, he’s too terrified of me and keeps running away before I can have a proper conversation about it. Real slippery bugger, that one.”

“So you are saying that your experience is comparatively limited, then?”

“I suppose so. It’s a subject I’m interested in, though. Just haven’t gotten back around to researching it in a long while. I like to save certain things for later, know what I mean? Always gotta keep another project or two lined up, for whenever the current one finishes. Lemme tell ya, I absolutely hate having nothing interesting to do. Start to get a bit antsy and stir-crazy, which tends to make me lash out. In fact, Bool used to try and make me bored all the time ‘cuz of that. He likes it when I go out and make trouble for folks. He hasn’t attempted that in a while, though, probably because he knows that I’ve got too many backup projects in mind, right now. Lost cause for him, at the moment.”