Unstable

Gil glanced at Elena, guilt gnawing at him for dragging her into the chaos of his family's troubles. Though much of this mess stemmed from the De Silva Ferriera Empire, their families were inexplicably intertwined. He prayed they were safe, but his greater concern was Lesley. She paced the room like a caged animal, her face pale and her hands trembling. Her breathing was shallow, and her eyes darted around as if expecting danger to burst through the walls at any moment. She was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack.

Jace, ever the calm presence, tried to soothe her. "Lesley, it's going to be okay," he said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. But she jerked away, her chest rising and falling rapidly. 

"El, I'm sorry," Gil mumbled, turning to Elena. She pressed her lips into a thin line and placed a reassuring hand on his knee.