The meeting at the palace is in four days. Therefore, you have only three days to organize a masquerade of such fame and magnificence it will tempt your three opponents from hiding.

You could never have done it on your own. Luckily, Hattie Abernathy is a force of nature. She whips together a staff, charms every notable expatriate and wealthy Morrocan into accepting an invitation, and rents a venue at a staggering cost.

You mostly run errands. She sends you to this vendor to purchase wine, then to that one to secure a supply of pomegranates, then the wine is not good enough and you have to organize a meeting with what is clearly a smuggling ring to procure more. By the end of the third day your feet are sore and you’ve picked up some remarkably colorful Arabic curses.

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You return to the house to find Miss Abernathy in the powder room with a trio of local women braiding wildflowers into her hair.

“Why, darling, you look spent!” she says. “You mustn’t worry so, I always organized parties for Daddy back in New York, there’s really nothing to it. Have you even chosen your costume yet? There’s a box of masks over there, no, under the spare drapes, there you go. You do remember I’ve chosen a classical theme, yes? I am going as Artemis the huntress. I fancy I would be rather good with a bow, if I ever bothered to learn.”

A pile of golden faces grin up at you from the box.