An entire court of Lion Folk seemed to be in session. For a moment, Iarion’s eyes were dazzled by the shimmer of jewelry on the mingling creatures. Humans wove between them, bearing documents or fine metal goblets of refreshment. The females all wore large, beaded necklaces with fanciful designs that seemed to be the only thing covering their bare chests, much to Barlo’s blushing discomfort. The males wore lesser versions, or glimmering pendants bearing unfamiliar symbols, including the strange oblong circle-cross Iarion had seen on the lion-woman statues outside. A few depicted a stylized eye with a swirling, downward stroke wrought of deep-blue stone. Both the males and females had lined their eyes with kohl. Many of the females wore glittering dust on their eyelids as well, and wigs wit
