I feel constrained to bring to your awareness some most urgent news of which I have recently become aware. Not all of this House are as trustworthy as they might appear; vile intrigue is afoot. Speak to nobody of this note. I entreat you most urgently to meet me outside the West Wing at midnight tomorrow, when I will acquaint you with some disturbing information of the greatest import to your well-being.
Your friend,
Kitaur
Grimm was shaken by the note; the letters 'L.A.' were the very initials of his disgraced grandfather. The note spoke of 'vile intrigue' and 'disturbing information'. Grimm still felt embarrassed at how he had been fooled by Starmor, and the demon's mention of Loras' betrayal, and he felt determined not to read too much into the note. Any number of mages might have had the same initials, and Grimm knew from 'The Deeds of the Questors' that there were at least two other mages with the same initials. The House rolls must be full of such names.
Nonetheless, he still could not imagine that the loving man who had raised him was a callous murderer. Leaving the Library, careful not to disturb its two occupants, he went in search of Magemaster Crohn.
The Senior Magemaster sat at a heaped desk in his chamber, leafing through notes that doubtless told of the conduct and progress of his Students. Crohn seemed so deeply engrossed in the papers that Grimm felt constrained to emit a polite cough in order to elicit the Magemaster's attention.
Crohn started and looked up from his work.
"Questor Grimm!" Crohn cried, favouring the Questor with a rare smile. "I am so pleased to see you back here. You seem to have done well from your first Quest; please tell me all about it. I do not escape from this scholastic warren very often these days, and I am keen to hear of my former Student's achievements in the wider world."
Long moments passed as Grimm told Crohn of the Quest for the Eye of Myrrn. The Senior Magemaster sat rapt as Grimm wound through the essential details. At the end of the account, Crohn raised his eyebrows and nodded.
"It would seem that you have done well, young Afelnor. I congratulate you."
"Thank you, Senior Magemaster. I am sorry to interrupt your invaluable work, but I wish to ask a question of you."
Crohn opened his hands to Grimm, as if sweeping away the heaped papers on his desk. "Ask away, Questor Grimm. What is troubling you?"
Grimm had become adept at creative interpretations of facts, and he had a ready response.
"Magemaster Crohn," he said, "I was in the Library, looking up pervulsions of the runic Translocation spell that I used during my Quest, when I noticed what seemed to be a pertinent note in the margin, only I was unable to read it. The note was signed with the name 'Kitaur'. Does the name mean anything to you? I would like to speak with this mage, if he still lives."
Crohn mused for a moment, furrowing his brow.
"Kitaur… the name seems familiar… ah!"
The Magemaster's expression cleared.
"Now I have it," Crohn said, sighing. "Perhaps forty years ago, I knew of an Adept Necromancer named Kitaur Shirrar, a promising candidate for the Ring. I regret that Adept Kitaur fell down the stairs in the West Wing Tower and broke his neck. A great shame; he had completed his staff, and he died the night before his test at the Breaking Stone." The Magemaster shook his head in evident sorrow.
"Indeed, that is a great shame," Grimm replied, lowering his head. "I wonder if my grandfather, Loras, knew him."
Crohn shrugged. "I imagine so, Questor Grimm. Loras Afelnor was then a well-respected mage; many people knew him. I could not say if they were especial friends or not.
"I am sorry, Questor Grimm. I cannot tell you more. Still, since Kitaur was a Necromancer and not a Manipulant, I can only imagine that he wrote the annotation when he was a Student. I doubt that he could provide you with any insight other that that which you already possess."
"Thank you, Magemaster Crohn. I am sorry to have encroached on your valuable time; please excuse me."
Grimm lay on his bed and berated himself. He had been fooled once before by Starmor, and he refused to allow this small note to mislead him. Loras had confessed to his acts in front of a Conclave of Mages. Had any mage spell been acting on him, the Mage Sight of the gathered magic-users would have detected it. The initials, 'L.A', meant nothing. The note was undated, and it could have been written at any time within the previous fifty years.
The mage snuffed the candle beside his bed and tried to force himself to ignore the coincidence of the initials 'L.A.'. Nonetheless, he found himself unable to dismiss it.