The dogfolk woman—Bella, Mistress Arlin had called her—leaps to her feet as I emerge from the office.
"Hey, hey," Bella says. The assortment of ornaments sparkle in her hair. "You alright there? You look a little spooked."
Is it really that obvious? Gods, I haven't even met the courtesans and I'm already a mess!
"I'm fine," I say with a meek smile.
Bella dips her head in a deep nod of understanding. Her hairpins jingle with the movement. "Arlin is kinda intense, but she cares a lot about this place and all of us who work here. She keeps a tight hand on things, but that's why we win all those shiny awards. Well, partly." Bella winks at me. "Come on, you'll feel much better in a moment. The courtesans are so pretty you won't be able to think about anything else!"
I highly doubt anything can scare away my self-doubts, least of all the very thing I've spent the few months avoiding, but I nod regardless.
"There you go!" Bella says with a smile. Her tail swishes excitedly behind her. "Now come stand over here—not quite, right here, in the center. There."
I let Bella maneuver me into the center of the entrance room, right between the doorway outside and the front desk. I was so busy looking around earlier that I didn't look down—there's a spiral mosaic beneath our feet. Bella and I are standing right at the central point.
"Okay," Bella says, "It can be a bit exciting the first time you use the portal—do you want to hold my hand?"
Portal? That would explain why there are no other doors or hallways. But portals require a large amount of magic from a talented mage—this pleasure house must be very expensive to run.
"Uh," I start, too distracted by the fancy magic to turn down what must just be a polite offer.
"Don't worry, Lex!" Bella claps my hand with both of hers. Her big, brown eyes sparkle with sincerity. "It's perfectly safe! And I've got you. We'll go together!"
Before I have time to say anything, Bella begins to chant in a language I don't recognize. The spiral beneath our feet shifts in response, swirling in a clockwise motion. At the same time, the mist pooling beneath the twin trickles of water at the sides of the room rises up. The waves of mist sparkle as they catch in the swirling energy of the spiral. It only takes a moment for Bella and I to be engulfed in shimmering fog.
There's so much going on all at once—I subconsciously grip Bella's hands. They're fluffy, with slightly tougher skin on the palms and at the tips of her fingers. Most of all, they're as warm as her personality.
Bella squeezes back, not breaking the incantation.
There's a burst of light, the feeling of falling, then rising, and finally—nothing.
No, not nothing—is that the music I heard outside? And a new incense.
I open my eyes, unaware of when I closed them, to see the mist fading.
Bella is smiling at me. Behind her, a long hallway adorned with golden lanterns stretches towards a ball of light in the distance.
"Okay, Lex?"
"Yeah."
"Great!" Bella steps forward, pointing eagerly down the hall. The second her hands leave mine, I miss the warmth.
Stop that. It's not like I'm desperate for touch—couldn't be farther from the truth.
I refocus and follow after Bella, stepping off the motionless spiral and onto a lush crimson carpet.
Bella practically skips down the hallway, her tail swishing excitedly behind her. As we walk, I realize the glowing golden lights aren't lanterns—they're small swirls. The golden spirals spin leisurely in fixed points along the wall.
"This place is yours, by the way," Bella says, "you'll never find any other guests here."
My own private hallway? Wow.
Bella continues, "Once you pass through the archway you'll be in the lounge—that's a public space. Which brings us to this."
She reaches out to one of the golden spirals swirling on the wall. Without a flicker of hesitation, she plunges her hand into the spiral.
"Whoa!" I exclaim.
Bella laughs. She wiggles her arm, which has vanished all the way to her elbow. When she pulls it out, she has a delicate-looking piece of sheer, white fabric. She offers it to me.
"This is a privacy veil. The courtesans can see through them, but other guests can't. They're available to all guests to wear if they'd like to keep their visits here to themselves."
I look at the shimmering fabric in Bella's hand. It's really pretty, but I shake my head politely.
"Thanks, but there's no need," I say. "It's not a secret that I'm here."
In fact, it would probably be a good thing if anyone related to the temple saw me here in person to make sure I'm diligently doing my purge. Not that anyone else from the temple would be at a pleasure house, of course.
"Gotcha," Bella says. She thrusts her hand and the veil back into the mini-portal. When her hand emerges again, it's empty. "The privacy veils are there if you ever change your mind and want to wear one."
"Thanks."
Speaking of wearing things, and seeing other guests...
My simple acolyte robes suddenly feel as plain as they're meant to be. The Sapphic Satyr has been nothing but opulence so far and I can't help but feel a little self-conscious.
Bella seems to sense my unease. She eyes me with an encouraging nod. "Everyone is free to wear what they're most comfortable in. Or nothing at all, if they prefer."
I nod reflectively. Inside, I cannot imagine a world in which I'd be comfortable being naked around others. Even the thought of undressing in front of a pretty woman and dealing with her judgment has me wanting to run back to the temple.
C'mon, Lex! We can do this.
"Okay," I say to Bella. "Anything else I should know?"
"Yup!" Bella grins. She points to a single green spiral among the many golden ones. As we walk closer, I realize it's about as big as the one we used to get here, just on the wall.
"Through there is the Hall of Relief—we offer complimentary cleansings to all our guests. There are baths, showers, and a cleric on staff for any deeper cleansing one might need. Our courtesans are up to date on their own cleansings and there's no need to visit them after your stay here, but the service is free for you to use any time."
I nod. We have a cleric mage at the temple who specializes in ailments, including cleansing. It's common for temples and clinics to have a specialist who can remove everything from toxins to unwanted side effects from a night of passion.
"And that's that!" Bella claps her hands together. We've wandered down the full length of the hallway. An archway stands in front of us, but I can't see anything through the swirls of white and golden light.
"Through this gate is the lounge," Bella says. "It's where the courtesans spend time between appointments. Some of them are waiting for reservations, so not everyone is necessarily available right now, but you can always schedule a reservation for the future if you see someone you like."
She reaches into her pocket and pulls something out. She offers me a crimson envelope. As I take it from her, I notice a folded piece of paper nestled inside.
"The book of courtesans and quills are on every table. When you've found someone you like, write a quick message on this envelope and hand it to a serving girl. They'll deliver it to your chosen courtesan. Don't forget to seal it with a kiss!"
Bella lifts her hands and claps them in front of her. "Alright! That wraps up the tour. Any questions?"
I glance at the portal in front of us.
The courtesans are waiting on the other side…
I swallow.
"Nope. Thank you for the tour."
"You're very welcome! Come back through this hallway when you're ready to leave. I'll be waiting for you at the front desk." The smile doesn't leave Bella's face as she dips into a low bow. "Enjoy your stay, Lex!"