[He can’t help but scoff. He wonders if he should be flattered he’s being asked these questions at all, like circumventing the High Mage’s authority and surveillance should be a walk in the park. Stephen has confidence in his own magic, but that doesn’t mean much in the face of a whole system of mages loyal to Thorne.

Still. He isn’t unwilling. That says something about his loyalties, focused less on the kingdom and more about how he can aid from his position in the castle.]

Ambrose can’t throw anything at me that I haven’t been through before.

[Death on repeat! Alien torture techniques! Experiencing millions of failed timelines via a magic stone! Being erased from existence! Before any of that, psychological despair wrought from purposelessness!

So, no. Threat of violence or intimidation wouldn’t be ideal, but Stephen considers these possibilities with tired caution rather than fear. (Lock him up, Thorne. He could use the nap.) He’s willing to take risks if they are required of him.]

Yes, they showed me how to set it up. And I know a few tricks. I could duplicate the watch with a spell and hide it away from prying eyes. But it’d be intrinsically tied to the original — which means if Ambrose catches wind of something off, I’m sure he’d dispel it without a second thought. Or trace it right back to me.

[He gauges the expressions on Yennefer and Thancred’s faces.]

Or more importantly, the two of you. It’s not like it would be hard to narrow down the list of suspects if Thorne wanted to investigate. Only the three of us out here, on this little mission.

[Risks regarding himself he’s willing to take. But he can’t—or rather, won’t—make that decision for others.]