Cinderellas live happily ever after. Unless they have a powerful courtiers out to get them. Not that it's hard to frame Casio Westfall, the Emperor's consort, for an attempted assassination. In fact, it's fun. She's a perfect mark. Who's going to complain? She's of a humble and scandalous background and has no friends outside of the Imperial bedroom. But, then again, maybe she doesn't need any. _______ Three years after Casio Westfall, the Emperor's Consort, helps save the Emperor from assassination, the Imperial Guards find new evidence that implicates her in that attempted murder. Only the proof indicates that it wasn't a botched assassination. It was a successful plot designed to throw Casie into the Emperor's path. Beautiful Casie, who, at the time, was reeking of enough pheromones to put a small village into a state of lust. Casie, whose psych profile shows a 99% compatibility index with Emperor Lister Klantro. That's just too much of a coincident for the Guards. It's too much coincidence for the Emperor, too; who exiles her. In fact, it's too much coincidence for Casie! But why her? Why then? Why not tell her of the plan if she was part of it? And why, after going to all of the trouble of bringing her to the Emperor's attention, would someone arrange to kick her out three years later? A few questions like that can narrow the field of inimical courtiers significantly.