It was the only fairness, the only sort of justice his narrow little mind could grasp. The way he saw it, the King’s madness threatened him personally. Failure to appease the King would lead inevitably to the loss of his life. Losing control of the Lore would result in the destruction of himself, and all that he knew existed.
Well, he would use the King’s own self-deceit to bring all of the King’s plans to fruition, save one. At the last, all would be destroyed, and it would be he who had eternal life.
As he entered the Vault where the King’s private Lore was enacted, the two Loremasters that watched over the great stone that was the very heart of the King’s power, watched the wizened little miser without comment.
‘Bring that accursed thing to life!’ he said, his tone of voice grating on the nerves. Use of the stone was beyond him, but unfortunately, being now recognised as a Loremaster, at least in name, he knew enough about it to know of its uses and capabilities. ‘We’re going to locate that Book, whether the likes of you will or no.’
With a sound that may have been a sigh, the two Loremasters uncovered the great blue stone. One of them made an arcane gesture, and it came to life. The other went to a nearby podium and opened the King’s private book of Lore.