The spy returned a day later. He found Menkar in his room. As soon as the guard announced him, he called him inside.
Menkar shouted, "You bloody dimwit! What took you so long?"
The spy bowed to the High Priest and noticed that there was redness around his neck. He was dripping with water. It was as if he had walked out of a bathing tub right now.
"I am sorry, Your Grace," the spy said, bewildered. "But there was an attack of Nyxers in the way. I managed to hide myself and reach the Bikr Harbor a day later." It was easy to lie. He knew that Nyxers were a menace everywhere and that he could use the excuse and get away with it. While returning, he took a good bath in a lake with cool waters to remove the scent of the woman with whom he had indulged.
Menkar gritted his teeth. He grunted, "Have you got the herbs?"
The spy pursed his lips. "It wasn't possible, because—"
