Nina POV
The western palace wing exploded again at breakfast. Nobody reacted. Not even one person.
A servant calmly stepped around falling ceiling debris while carrying tea like this happened professionally every morning now.
Honestly? It did.
I stood in the middle of the ruined balcony holding a smoking spell book while silver fire crackled across shattered marble around me. And across from me, my husband looked entirely too pleased with himself. Which usually meant crimes.
“You said this spell summoned harmless shadows.”
“It did.”
Right on cue, three tiny shadow creatures sprinted past us carrying stolen jewelry and what looked suspiciously like someone’s wig.
I pointed. “THAT does not look harmless.”
Lucien watched them leap dramatically off the balcony railing. “They seem absolutely energetic.”
“You are impossible.”
“You’re obsessed with me.”
He was right. But he didn't need to brag about it .
At this point the entire kingdom treated us like a recurring natural disaster. The council had actually created emergency procedures specifically for: magical explosions ,accidental creature summoning and very dangerous “situations involving Lady Nina”
Which felt targeted personally.
A second explosion sounded deeper inside the palace.
I closed my eyes briefly. “…Please tell me that it wasn't another wall.”
Lucien seemed thoughtful for one long second.
Then: “That depends how attached you were to the library.”
“Oh my God.”
I started walking toward the palace doors before I murdered my husband publicly. Behind me, Lucien followed at the exact same pace I did because apparently after mating bonds, personal space became illegal.
“You’re walking aggressively.”
“I’m considering violence.”
“That feels romantic.”
I kept repeating that murdering my lovely husband wasn't allowed.
The palace corridors were already full of panicked servants chasing shadow creatures across expensive carpets while several council members yelled in the distance.
One older ruler pointed at me the second I entered the hall.
“This is YOUR fault.”
“Wow,” I uttered. “You sound just like my aunt.”
“That is not comforting.”
