The Alpha's Temptation

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--"

Menkar growled and in one strong leap he lunged at the spy. Grabbing his throat he snarled, "What the hell do you mean?"
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The spy grasped his wrist. The old priest was too strong, and that was a big surprise for him. His claws dug him in the flesh. The priest towered over the spy as he sank on his knees.

"You Grace!' The spy rasped. "Guntar said that there was a trade embargo placed on Araniea by the Jade Sea King. It has been two days and there is not a single thing coming from the seabed. The boats and ships can sail, but nothing can be harvested from the bottom."

Menkar loosened his grip on the spy's neck as his shoulders became tense. "You are lying."

"No, My Grace," the spy reiterated. "Why would I lie? What have I got to do with it all to lie to you?" What he meant was that getting an herb for his master was in no way harming him. So why would he get it? "I traveled all the way to the Bikr Harbor, hid for life from Nyxers and came back. Only for your herb. Please master," he tried to loosen Menkar's grip on him. "I am not lying. You can verify it with whatever sources you want to." The spy had verified it from all other vendors in the harbor whether the information was correct or not. It was.

Menkar left his throat and stumbled back. He was so shocked at the information that he couldn't breathe. If this continued, he had to go and stay with his brother. The problem wasn't going and staying with his brother. The problem was that the journey to his kingdom was four day long. He had to pass through the shores of Stourin and if that happened, there was a risk that he might get discovered. The other route was a day longer. If he reached his home in five days, drank the potion that would keep him covered for ten to twelve days, it wasn't enough. He would have to come back also. That actually meant a trip of ten days in total.

Now the only option left was to smuggle the herb out of the Jade Sea and he had to be very careful.

Menkar turned away from the spy, his mind going numb. The pain in his lungs was excruciating. He needed to go back and immerse in the water. After all he was a pure-blooded merman. "Go!" he hissed. "Wait for my next orders!"

The spy bowed to him and left immediately, coughing and wheezing.
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With heavy steps, Menkar trudged back to his bathtub and submerged himself completely. He still couldn't believe that King Izo had stopped the trade with Araniea. If that has happened, surely there was a reason. Who was he angry with? Could he be angry with Taiyi? Too many thoughts crossed his mind. He decided to go to the Kingdom of Murel to meet his brother. In the meantime, he started re-forming his strategy. He had to be discreet in leaving Cetus. And he had to take the long way to Murel.

As for Tania, he was going to use the soul stone to make her life miserable. She would be forced to come and meet him. And when would come, he would be ready to capture not just her, but also Eltanin.

With that in mind, he got out of the water. He wiped himself dry and wore fresh clothes. Usually his servants helped him to wear his clothes, but right now, he couldn't think of calling them inside. Pale green scales had started appearing on the sides of his waist.

He walked to his desk. He took out a plain scroll. Dipping his quill in dark ink, he started to write a letter. When he finished writing it, he rolled the scroll and tied it with a black ribbon. He whistled and a crow flew in his window. Menkar caressed the crow's head and feathers. He tied the scroll to his right leg and whispered, "Fly under the cover of night to the Hydra Kingdom and deliver it to King Felis."

He picked up the crow and set it free. The crow circled in the sky, cawed at him and then flew northwest to Hydra.

Menkar called his servants. He ordered them, "Pack my clothes. I am going on a five kingdom visit and will be back in ten days. I will be taking five of you with me." As soon as the servants left, he called his spy and said, "Get ready. We are going to the Bikr Harbor in three hours from now."

Fear surged through the spy. What if the woman came back to him over there and his secret was revealed? But he couldn't speak a word against the High Priest. He just bowed. "I will be ready, Your Grace."

Menkar took the chain out of his neck and grabbed the soul stone in his palm. "This is going to be your first punishment, Lusitania!" he gritted his teeth and chanted a spell.