The rest of dinner passed by quickly, and before she knew what was happening, her mother had stood to make an announcement. While most people would’ve gently hit a knife against a crystal goblet to get the room’s attention, Queen Rona wasn’t most people. She had the trumpeters blast them all awake with the same five notes they would’ve played if they were outside and wanted everyone’s attention.

“Ladies and men,” Rona began, and Kit tried not to pucker her face up at the exclusion of the term “gentle” her mother refused to say, “I want to thank you all for joining us this evening for some wonderful entertainment, and...