“What are you doing over here?” Jasmine whispered.

She carried a tray of wine glasses for the banquet. Most of Basharr’s nobles had turned up, from the lords down to the country barons, for the announcement and in order to be in a room together they preferred not to be sober.

“I’m guarding the king,” Violet replied.

“From behind the orange tree?”

Violet sighed, emerging from behind the potted tree. A dozen of them had been planted and wheeled into the ...