Page 91 of Heritage of Fire

“I’m not sure. Not us.” His words are clipped, and his eyes are trained ahead. Such focus and determination radiate on his face. It’s comforting, because focused and determined is the exact opposite of my mental state right now.

We rush toward the next several containers, the smoke quickly becoming thicker and more potent. Another explosion hits, and we rock back and forth. My eyes widen in fear as the containers stacked above us shudder with the thundering boom. I want this to end. I’m so tired.

As soon as my eyes leave the stacks, three men jump us.

Nik grunts as he’s knocked to the ground, and I scream for him before I’m punched in the side of the face. Landing on the deck, the ship’s metal bites into my knees. One of the men I recognize from when I was taken at the club jumps on top of me. I screamand kick, barely able to take in any air. The smoke burns my lungs with each labored breath.

“Luna!” Nik’s panicked voice vies for my attention. I kick some more and lunge forward, but the man easily keeps me pinned down. Another punch snaps my head to the side, and black dots line my vision.

In my peripheral, two shapes fight with each other. I shift my head, the picture of Nik and one of the men slowly becoming clearer. The man lands a hit to Nik’s stomach, and he buckles over.

Tears pool in my eyes.

Something grates my wounds. Ropes wrap around my wrists, pulling excruciatingly, and I cry out in pain. When I turn my head, I find a man looking at me with a smug smirk on his face.

Moving quickly so he’s on top of me, he pulls out another rope and adds it to my bound hands. I squirm and try to buck him off, sobs coming out in short bursts as I struggle.

He backhands me before yanking me to my feet, and then he’s pulling me toward the thicker smoke, away from Nik. The fumes surge into my mouth.

They’re going to tie me to this ship and leave me.

Fear rages inside me and I plant my feet, but all it takes is one pull from the muscular man to tug me out of place, and I fall to the deck. He doesn’t stop, just continues to drag me. I scream. I feel every rivet, every jagged edge of metal.

A gunshot goes off and I crane my neck to try and see behind me. To know if Nik is okay. The man pulls me farther into the maze of cargo, and I gasp when I see the fire.

The flames dance, mesmerizing but devastating. They leap into the sky, engulfing several stacks of containers. The yellow, orange, and red hues roar with life, the sheer intensity of the blaze creating a searing, blistering heat.

I never thought much about the sound of fire, but it’s thunderous—echoing among the incinerating storage.

The acrid scent of—whatever’s in the containers—fills the atmosphere, stinging my nostrils and choking my breath.The once clear blue sky has turned dark and eerie with a reddish tint. The ship groans as the fire consumes everything in its path.

The destruction is consuming.

The man fumbles with my rope, attempting to tie it to the shipping container’s locking rod handles.

“Stop!” I yell. “Please don’t!”

He shoves me into the front of the container. I try to scream, but nothing comes out. I can feel the fight leaving me. Is this what my father had in mind for his legacy? To have his daughter sold off, kidnapped, and burned alive?

My thoughts quickly turn to Nik while the fire continues to burn. These stacks won’t hold much longer.

This isn’t how I want to die, and Nik …

Fight back, Luna.

Dizzy, I pull myself away from the container I’d been shoved into. Concentrated on tying a knot, the man doesn’t see me coming. With the smidgen of strength I have left, I lower my shoulder and ram into him.

He topples over, losing his footing, and hits the deck. I pull at the rope, clawing at the almost knot. My fingertips ache as I scramble to free myself before he’s back up.

ACRUNCHsounds from above me, and I don’t recognize the scream coming from my own mouth. I yank hard on the rope, finally freeing it from the container.

Cursing at me, the man moves into a crouch, but before he can come at me, I turn to run.

Desperately, I flee back toward Nik. Each stride is a struggle with the tangle of rope tethered to me.

Determination fuels me, but it’s not enough. The rope draws taut, and with a gasp, I’m jerked backward. I look behind me to see the man wrapping the rope around his forearm. He gives a fierce tug, and I collapse. Letting out a sob, I twist and mash my hands against the ties, trying to undo them.

When the man finally pulls me back to him, he straddles me and reaches down?—

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