The four maids stood stunned and confused, watching in utter silence as Zaliyah followed the mysterious woman out into the dark corridor, the trailing yellow silks disappearing around the corner.
Zaliyah followed the woman silently as she navigated a series of dimly lit passageways. Eventually, she pushed open a door, ushering him into a large staging room filled with roughly a dozen other dancers. Every single one of them was a youth dressed in varying shades of translucent silk, their faces concealed behind ornate veils. Zaliyah seamlessly integrated himself into the back of the group, lowering his gaze to the floor.
A moment later, a set of double doors swung open, and the troupe marched out in single file.
The moment Zaliyah stepped over the threshold into the Great Banquet Hall, his senses were violently assaulted. He felt as though he had stepped directly into an opulent, lawless brothel.
