Her Dawning Empire: The Prophecy

Chapter 23

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S. A. A

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"I think she's conscious now. Call Arun."

I could hear the clambering of footsteps and opened my eyes slowly, squinting then when the light coming from the window felt too bright.

I tried sitting up but the searing pain in my head made me lean back down and I clutched my head as I let out a small wince. I felt a slender hand on my shoulder and looked up slowly to see Ayla, her face marred with blood and sweat.

"Just lay back for now." She said simply, her voice low and my eyebrows furrowed at her words before I looked around the room.

We were in some sort of medical room, that much I could tell from the medicinal jars that lay strewn across the wooden table across from the bed that I was laying on.

"What happened? What am I doing here?" I asked Ayla to which she looked down slightly in sadness, her lips in a thin line, but the sound of footsteps interrupted our conversation and I looked to the door to see Abrax coming in with Arun slowly behind him. He gave me a smile before walking over and placing a large hand against Ayla's shoulder.

"I've informed the others also." He let out to which Ayla nodded, a smile on her face as she looked at him.

"You hit your head pretty hard there." Arun's voice made me turn my gaze to the other side of the bed and I watched as Arun grabbed a gauze and fresh linen bandage before moving towards me.

I chose to not say anything and instead pursed my lips as he undid the bandage that was already on my head, feeling the throbbing pain heighten in intensity, but the feeling of a small slender hand in mine distracted me slightly. Tightening my hold, I smiled as I kept my gaze on my lap; it wasn't hard to guess who it was.

"You can squeeze my hand if the pain gets too much." I heard the soft joking lull to Ayla's voice and let out a small laugh which was cut short when Arun pressed a wet cloth to the now exposed wound.

I squeezed Ayla's hand instinctively and she responded with tightening her hold. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from the hallway yet again, but I kept my gaze down as Arun continued his ministrations.

"You're awake."

I looked up to which Arun let out a groan of disapproval, but I paid it no heed when my eyes met Emut's somber gaze, his eyes as dull as the sun that was slowly slipping into the dunes.

He walked in with Demir and Maya following him, both with dark expressions on their face and, now that I looked around, I felt the dark cloud that hung above the room, clinging to each individual. Noticing my look of confusion, Emut moved to my side as he spoke.

"What do you remember of last night?" He said simply and my eyebrows raised in confusion to which Emut's gaze flitted to Ayla.

"Last night?" I asked, looking around and it was only when I looked down to the burgundy dress on my body- did I tense up. For it was now a deeper shade of red.

"Take care of Babu for me." She said softly and I screamed, covering Khalid's eyes when the man in front of her buried the sword deep into her chest.

"I lied. I'm Hanna Aset. I'm... I'm the prophecy." I whispered tearfully and, for a second, I saw her eyes gleam with something more before her face became heavy in my hands and her eyes glazed over.

"We'll be safe here, Babu." I said, stroking his back, but I was met with silence. My hand stroked wetness and I looked at it to see my hands coated red.