Raytrena faces her biggest challenge yet. She has not had the training for such a feat, and she does not know if she has the endurance, but somehow she must find the strength to stay still during several long, boring speeches. Speeches, she is told, that are being given to honor her, in celebration of her knighthood, a reward for saving the king’s life. To her, it feels more like torture. There is, however, one silver lining: there will be cake. She just has to make it until the end, then she will get all the cake she can eat. When a scream rings out, it not only shatters the air, but also her dreams of cake, and Raytrena finds there is work to be done.
John is discovered in the king’s private garden with a body at his feet and blood on his hands. All the evidence points to him as the attacker. The biggest one is Raytrena’s own dagger. The dagger which is supposed to be locked in a chest, with John in possession of the only key. Now Raytrena must prove his innocence, or he will face the hangman's noose.