Elena's POV
Security moved through the grand halls like shadows, voices sharp and overlapping. Leo clung to my neck, his small arms locked tight, his puzzle book abandoned on the floor. His breath came warm and fast against my shoulder as I held him close, my free hand rubbing slow circles on his back.
Adrian barked orders into his phone, guiding us toward a side exit with his palm pressed firm against my spine. The contact steadied me, even as my legs threatened to give out on the polished floors.
Richard stood rigid near the tall windows, his face carved from stone. Eleanor hovered by a side table, fingers twisting together until her knuckles went white. Vanessa watched from the doorway, her grip on the frame so tight her manicured nails left crescent marks in the wood.
Adrian's voic
