The Lucky 7 Meme

The lovely Laura Harner tagged me in a meme. Here are the rules:
1. Go to page 77 (or 7th) of your current ms
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines-sentences or paragraphs- and post them as they're written. No cheating.
4. Tag 7 other authors. No cheating.

Well, I suppose I could give y'all the first sneak peak of Mind Magic. What do you think? Here's a 7 paragraph excerpt from page 7...

She nodded and relaxed against him as Simon led them out of the house, past the man in the kitchen, who was still furiously cooking. The cabinet doors stood open and food spilled out onto the counters. The children eyed him suspiciously, and one of the younger boys grabbed Simon’s free hand and clenched it tightly.

The group hurried for the woods. The other human still counted where Simon had left him. “Five hundred thirty-seven. Five hundred thirty-eight.”

Simon kept moving, ushering the children forward. He glanced back frequently to check on the kids and make sure they weren’t being followed. He tripped over a branch and stumbled, but the eldest boy grabbed his arm and steadied him. The children were nearly silent in the woods around him, their shifter magic giving them an advantage in this setting.

He adjusted the little one he held, and she snuggled close to his body heat as her trembling eased. The little boy still holding Simon’s hand let out a frustrated huff. “I want to talk to Alpha.”

The eldest nodded. “I do too. I thought we could call him when we got away from them.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be at the car soon, and you can call him once we get away from here.” Simon tried to sound reassuring and hoped it helped.

It seemed to work, as the kids all looked at him and nodded. The eldest seemed to realize Simon was struggling in the dark and crossed over to take his arm. The others crowded close and held each other’s hands. Simon felt a gentle push against his magic, and it suddenly seemed easier to maneuver in the forest. Puzzled, Simon opened his mind and sensed the body magic in them reaching out to help him. He adapted, his movements smoother and much quieter than before. The kids smiled and seemed much more relaxed.

Well...That was a strange place for an excerpt, but I followed the rules Laura (even though my character Simon doesn't!).