Exceptional Story for February: A Deadly Custard

"This round, you've been tasked with baking a Traitor's Sponge – a rumoured favourite of the Empress. Your ingredients are arrayed in front of you. The usual: flour, eggs, milk, butter... and a small ornate silver box. Inside is a fine, grey-brown powder. This must be... a traitor?"

Gazebos spring up in the centre of London. The smell of cake winds through the streets. The Lady Pockets, alongside her enigmatic butlers, is holding a baking competition – and you've been entered as a participant. Never mind that you didn't apply. Never mind that your rivals are more suspicious than a mouldy macaron, or that nobody will tell you what you're competing for. If you want answers, you'll need to stay in the game – so get set and ready to bake.

- Writing: Kate Gray

- Additional Writing, Editing and QA: James Chew and Luke van den Barselaar

- Art: Paul Arendt

EXCEPTIONAL FRIENDSHIP

All Exceptional Friends receive:

- A new Exceptional Story every month

- Memories of a Tale from each story to spend on exclusive companions and items

- A second candle (up to 40 actions at once)

- An expanded opportunity deck: ten cards instead of six

- Three additional outfit slots

- Access to the House of Chimes, including monthly gameplay perks

Enhanced Exceptional Friends receive all of the above, plus:

- A past story, or two resets of stories you’ve played from a monthly menu

- Memories of a Tale from every past story or reset

- Extra monthly perks in the House of Chimes

- Three seven-action refreshes per month