Necromancer turned and faced the Emperor. “What if I told
you that you might have the same power as Linvin only an arm’s reach away?”
Mandrean took to his feet in both anger and curiosity. “If
you are coming to a point, I suggest you make it or else bother me no more.”
Necromancer hovered over to the chest where the Red Sapphire
had been stored. “I told you some of the writings on this chest spoke of a Red
Sapphire which would give its master great power. You asked me what side of the
chest housed it and I told you the right side. You never asked me what the rest
of the writing on the chest said.”
“You said you could not read it. You lied.” Mandrean fumed.
“I never said that, My Lord. I told you what some of the
writing said. You assumed I could not read any more. In your excitement about
the Red Sapphire you never asked me about the rest of the writings. Did you
never wonder what the other side of the chest held?”
“You said it was a trap of some kind,” Mandrean growled.
“I never made any such statement, My Lord. Once you knew
where the Red Sapphire was held you assumed the other side was a trap. I never
even commented on the matter and you never asked me if it was so.”
Mandrean’s rage boiled over. “So you didn’t lie to me. You
just told me pieces of the truth. You are walking a fine line, Slave.”
Necromancer used all his will to not show his fury at being
branded so. Retaining his composure, he continued to steer the conversation.
“Does it not make you curious what is inside the left compartment of the
chest?”
Mandrean’s anger was tempered with a lustful curiosity.
“Tell me everything written on the chest,” he commanded. 152
Necromancer was only too happy to oblige. “Besides what I
have already told you about the Red Sapphire, the carvings tell the left side
of the chest holds a Blue Sapphire. Its power is described as equal to that of
its counterpart.”
Mandrean raced over to the chest and saw the golden key still
in the lock where Linvin left it before his escape. “Do the writings say I can
use the Blue Sapphire?”
Necromancer sighed and said, “I have told you everything the
markings reveal. From what we saw earlier, I would expect the Blue Sapphire
would choose its master just as the Red Sapphire did. That being said, I feel
strongly that you will have a sporting chance of mastering the gem if you open
the compartment.”
Mandrean withdrew the key from the right lock and placed it
in the left. “What if you are wrong?” Mandrean asked in freight.
“You forget, My Lord. I am forbidden to do you harm. Telling
you to open something I know to be a trap would be beyond my capabilities. I am
confident you will be unharmed by opening the compartment. Whether the gem
makes you its new master is something not even I can determine for sure. You
have wanted this power for so long. Take the chance and see if it is meant to
be.”