Breakfast settled into a rhythm that Vaelira had no part in.
Alexandra moved between the stove and the counter with fluid, practiced steps, adjusting heat levels and checking timings without breaking stride. Alice trailed her like a determined apprentice, tongue poking out slightly as she focused on slicing bell peppers into even strips.
The results were... uneven.
"Thinner," Alexandra corrected gently, reaching over to adjust Alice's grip on the knife. "You want them to cook at the same rate. If one piece is twice the size of the others, you'll end up with half of them burnt and the other half raw."
Alice grumbled but adjusted. Her next few cuts came out marginally better.
Kaiden took his seat at the small dining table and gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit."
Vaelira flinched.
The word wasn't harsh. Wasn't cold. It carried the same casual, unbothered tone he'd used when telling her to come inside.
