I swear the palace looked even bigger today. Either it grew overnight or my anxiety was zoomed in at 400%. From the moment I stepped inside the main hall, everything felt too loud, too shiny, too royal for a normal Tuesday. Preparations for Rudra's coronation had officially begun, and the entire palace buzzed like a nest of very well-paid bees.

And I was just trying not to trip on the polished marble that reflected my own confused face like a very stressed mirror.