"A child needs balance," Lysandra urged softly. "A daughter needs a mother's touch. She needs softness, guidance, and someone to teach her the delicate intricacies of the world that cannot be solved with a broadsword. Do you not think it is time, Kaelus? It is time you finally took a wife. The Empire is overflowing with noblewomen who would gladly step into the role of Duchess of the North. You need a partner to raise her properly."
The atmosphere in the solarium shifted instantly.
The warm, sunlit air seemed to freeze. The ambient temperature around Kaelus's chair plummeted, frosting the edges of his wine glass.
Archduke Leonidas winced, physically stepping back, knowing exactly what kind of landmine his wife had just stepped on.
Seraphina stopped chewing. She looked up at Kaelus, her dark eyes wide.
'A wife?' Seraphina thought, a irrational pang of striking her own heart. 'A new mom? Someone to take his attention away? Someone who might not like me?'
