Theo is giving 0 f*cks about it, and it shows. I dare say he is even smiling? :)

The warden *is* a prison crime boss. He's just angry because his crimes have failed and he's been outdone by a rival. The word 'hypocrite' springs to mind, can't imagine why.

Clockmaker? More like "Rizzmaker".

@WoS - Nailed it.

There are plenty of people at the bottom-most rung in society who are ultimately decent people, or have noble qualities, or can be trusted... And there are those considerably further up in the hierarchy, those in positions of authority and power, who are just plain the dregs of the Earth... When an authority in a position of power offers you safety -- something that they really should be providing for free, and goes to the extra length and effort to undermine your safety if you decline their offer, it carries a VERY different tone than when someone in a much more vulnerable or exposed position offers you the safety that the authorities deny you... And our dear prison warden here seems really intent on showing us how he is a full-on subscriber to the ideals of ACAB.

He's awfully confident that Theo can't and won't choose to pop his head like a watermelon without needing magic.

Lick the finger, Theo. Let the intrusive thoughts win. I see you thinking about it.

@Silver Theo could, but he'll dead the next instant by the guards

I agree with Silver. That is awfully confident.

The whole prison was build upon a anti magic rift of some sort. Meaning NO magic of any kind.

And Theo's freaking arms are about as thick as the Wardens waist. The man is a gorilla.

@oskarloko
1) That won't help the Warden any
2) I doubt that

the mention of rizz implies some kind of clockmaker x purpurmane yaoi... much to think about

El Chupacabra?

Lets see divulging state secrets to a two faced egotistical weasel vs explaining how he ended up in this place but not revealing sensitive info.

The raised eyebrow has me giggling at what the possible internal thoughts Theo could be having.

@noname: All Chariots Are Beautiful? Angry Cyclops Against Bristol? He isn't a police officer that's for certain. He's an organiser of prison guards (and a common criminal). He has no powers of arrest beyond those of an ordinary citizen (potential Vallancian weirdness not withstanding).

He does seem to be one of those 'I am the state' guys though (Narrator: The warden is not, in fact, the beating heart of Vallance). And, y'know, a despicable criminal who belongs in a prison cell.

Although our narrative is presumably the full version, it was a point of order that the version told to Clockmaker is the censored one.

That said, there have been a lot of juicy details commented on explicitly in the framing device.

Honestly, I think the Warden could have gotten the secrets he was after if only he hadn't presented it as a bribe. He offended Theo's honor with that little arrangement. Clockmaker's offer in contrast was merely to address the Warden's deficiencies of care for the prisoners, not something as nakedly corrupt as preferential treatment from the people in charge.

Also, for guy who didn't want to presume anything, the warden jumped to a *lot* of conclusions there.