★Nuel's POV ★
As Mariah lunged forward, her claws slicing through the air toward me, instinct took over. My hand shot to the ground, scooping up a handful of damp, leafy sand and I flung it into her eyes.
Her roar tore through the forest as the grains hit, embedding into her lashes. She reared back, thrashing wildly, shaking her massive head in fury. I used the moment to roll away, my back scraping against the rough earth as I tried to crawl out from under her.
But she wasn't done.
With terrifying speed, she caught my legs, yanking me back with enough force to slam me against the base of a tree. My back exploded in pain, a choked cry escaping my throat before I could hold it in.
