Despite his distrust of Conan, Ptolemy allows Conan to stay, and Bardylis leads Conan to a place of rest. Conan believes he recognizes a hooded man he passes by, who Bardylis identifies as Ablah, a trader. In his room, Conan hides the Eye of Set he is transporting, which is fortunate because he is ambushed and bludgeoned into unconsciousness that night, and taken, tied up, to Ablah. Conan then recalls Ablah from dealings in Argos, but doesn't know why Ablah has attacked him. Ablah reveals he is working for the wizard Hun-Ya-Di to retrieve the eye and kill Conan. When his captors try to search Conan, he breaks free and attacks, killing them all though Ablah fled when the trouble started. Meanwhile, Bardylis, who has discovered the wine at dinner was drugged, comes to find Conan. She leads h