The Court Charade: Young Serine is determined to become a lady-in-waiting to help provide for her family. But she soon finds herself at the mercy of a thoughtless queen, scheming lords and ladies, and vicious palace fauna. Luckily, this garrulous and down-on-her-luck countess has always been able to count on her wits—and her words!—to survive, and life at court proves no different.