The kitchen wasn't exactly a battlefield, but it sure felt like one. I had an arsenal of ingredients scattered across the counters, a whisk in one hand, and a mental timer running in my head to ensure everything came together perfectly.
Normally, cooking was my calm, zen activity—a little pocket of peace. But today? With Elena's grumbling stomach filling the room and Alaric chuckling at every move I made, I felt more like a chef in a slapstick comedy than the master of my domain.
"Carmen," Elena called from her seat at the table, her tone half-amused and half-concerned, "are you okay over there? You look... focused."
"Focused is good," I shot back, pouring batter into a hot skillet. "Focused means I won't burn anything."
"You've never burned anything in your life," Alaric chimed in from his spot by the breakfast nook, lounging like he was watching the evening news instead of my culinary chaos.