RENDER ENTERED THE back courtyard of the palace. The welcoming party for the royal Dagerstanteen was well underway, and he paused to take in the extravagant and decadent surroundings. He told himself he was doing a security check, but security was hard to think about with such lavish decorations.

The queen’s party was glorious.

To the left and right of the giant marble stone patio were orange, blue, and red pillars of fire. Directly before the seven-foot garden hedge at the ...