My Marked Luna (Apphia and Nicholas) novel Chapter 7

**In Fragile Moments We Discover Strength Hidden In Stillness by Tao Cole Rynn**

**Chapter 7**

**Apphia**

I sprint forward with every ounce of strength in my body, though I have no clear destination. Panic fuels my movement, and tears stream down my face, blurring my vision.

Behind me, I can hear the thunderous pounding of paws and the heavy footfalls of my pursuers. Their growls and snarls echo through the trees, a sinister soundtrack to my desperate flight. Each sound sends a jolt of adrenaline through me, urging me to push harder, to run faster.

Suddenly, a clap of thunder rumbles ominously in the darkened sky, and a flash of lightning illuminates the world around me. In that moment of chaos, my foot slips on the damp earth, and I tumble forward, landing painfully on my knees and palms. But there’s no time to linger in my fall; I scramble back to my feet, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I drag my weary legs onward.

The rain begins to fall, slowly at first, then intensifying until I am completely drenched. The cold bites into my skin, and I shiver uncontrollably, but I know I cannot afford to stop. The chill is nothing compared to the terror of being caught. I need to put as much distance as possible between myself and the men who are hunting me.

Through the curtain of rain, I spot a flicker of light not far off. Hope ignites within me. The downpour is a blessing, masking my scent and making it harder for them to track me. I grasp onto that hope as I push through the exhaustion that threatens to overwhelm me.

My lungs burn with the effort of drawing in air, and my legs feel like lead weights. I can barely keep my pace, and I know I need to find somewhere to hide. But the forest offers no refuge, just an endless expanse of trees and shadows. I begin to slow, dizziness swirling in my head like a storm.

‘Help me,’ I whisper to the void, my voice barely a breath.

Suddenly, a rough hand grabs me, and I am tackled to the ground by a massive figure. The impact knocks the breath from my lungs, and I find myself lying on my stomach, eyes squeezed shut, panting heavily. How can this end like this? How can I have fought so hard only to be caught?

“Going somewhere? Amir will like you,” a voice chuckles darkly, sending a wave of dread through me.

“You gave us quite the chase for such a tiny thing,” another man sneers, delivering a brutal kick to my side.

“Let’s take her back; this is royal territory…” a third voice interjects, worry lacing his tone.

“Pick her up. We are shifting and—” The sentence hangs in the air, cut short by a menacing growl that reverberates through the trees. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever heard, a primal roar that shakes the very ground beneath me. My heart races; it has to be Amir. He’s come to rescue me.

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