Her Dawning Empire: The Prophecy

Chapter 32

"Don't guise your concern with me by jesting- wasn't that what you had said?" I mused to which he let out a small sigh, closing his eyes.

"I'll no longer jest then if you're mistaking it for concern; I'd hate to give into your delusions." He joked and I smiled, dismissing his words with a wave of my hand.

"Oh, I know you care." I said playfully, leaning back and watching as Demir opened one eye, looking to me.

"And, pray tell, how do you 'know' that?" He asked, putting emphasis on 'know', his tone implying that I knew nothing.

I shrugged at his words, making a mock-thoughtful face before getting myself up into a standing position on the ledge. He raised an eyebrow at this, but chose to say or do nothing and I walked across the ledge slowly, turning to glance at him.

"Well, if you don't care, then you'll just leave me be, correct?" I presumed, knowing all too well what I was doing. Walking on the ledge was frightening, but I was all the more stubborn to prove a point, one that I could rub in his face afterwards.

He smiled slightly at this, realising my tactics before relaxing back down and closing his eyes.

"By all means, have fun, Hanna. Who am I to intervene?" He asked simply, amusement laced in his tone and I huffed knowing I'd have to step it up a notch.

Although slightly scared, I skipped slightly on the thick ledge, turning to look at him with a smile, but he gave no reaction. I even tried a small tap dance, complete with my own humming, but his eyes remained close and face impassive. I huffed again and he smiled slightly at this and I knew he knew my tactics.

I thought for a second before making my way slightly to the edge, my front facing to him and back facing to the view. I tapped a hand against my chin, a contemplative look on my face.

"Well, as you said, you know I'll fall. I'm just that clumsy, right?" I pondered playfully to which he said and did nothing. I sighed deeply, looking back before looking to his impassive form.

"Even if I do, you'll leave it be because you obviously have no concern for me." I said with a slight smile before raising my hands, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

And then, I was falling, the air rushing out from under me. But it was only a fraction of a second before I was swiftly enveloped by warmth. I opened my eyes in surprise to Demir who had lurched forward, a knee against the edge of the ledge as he leaned towards me. One hand was pressed against the ledge and the other enveloped around my waist as he held me tightly. We stayed like this for a moment before he spoke.

"Are you insane?" He grit out and I felt the vibrations of his voice against my ear.

I smiled smugly, feeling my heart race from the adrenaline of what I had just done.

"Probably, but never delusional. I thought you said you'd leave me be?" I questioned haughtily between breaths and I felt him pull my form up, his hair tickling my neck. It was only when I was seated back on the ledge and he was stood in front of me that I saw the scowl on his face. I laughed at his expression.

"Oh, Demir's too prideful to show he cares?" I asked between laughs and he raised an eyebrow, looking to me.

"I don't care." He said bluntly and I laughed again at his words, annoying him further.

Suddenly his hand went around my neck albeit loosely and I let out a shrill scream as he dipped me back so my upper torso was in mid-air. I looked up at him as he smirked, his cool eyes glimmering against the moon.

"I would love to just drop you." He let out and I made the mistake of looking down before letting out a small gasp and holding at the hand he had against my neck to stop from falling. His smirk widened at this before he relented, pulling me up until our foreheads were touching. I tensed at the proximity, feeling the heat crawl up my cheeks as his intrusive gaze pierced into mine.