My Rejected King (Excerpt)

Chapter 5

Elise's POV

Quiet giggling and soft, warm hands cupping my face had me quietly groaning as I opened my heavy lidded eyes. My eyes instantly locked with a familiar chocolate brown pair opened by a familiar young boy.

"Hi!" The young boy excitedly greeted taking my hand into his two," We're so happy you're alright!"

Two other small pairs of hands took hold of my other hand making me turn to the culprit.

It was the same shy young girl from last time. She looked the exact same way as the boy, probably her twin brother.

"Hello." She shyly greeted.

I opened my mouth to greet them, just for me to roughly break into a fit of coughs making me remove my hands from the two small ones and cover my mouth and close my eyes as they painfully wrecked my chest. After a few more seconds, I finally calmed down just to see a glass of cool water with a drop sliding at the side as the glass misted from its coldness nestled in between two small hands. I swear I almost drooled just at its sight as I noticed the sudden dryness in my throat. I shakily lifted my hands just to grab the glass but the pace they were shaking almost made it impossible and I feared I would break the glass. 

I immediately retracted them and dug them under the warm blanket as I suddenly felt cold even as I sweated like a dog. 

"Do you want me to help you?" The boy who I remembered as Everett offered with a sad smile.

I found myself embarrassingly nodding.

He encouragingly smiled at me making his chocolate brown eyes seem like melted chocolate as he gently put the glass towards my dry lips and slightly tilted it upwards so that the water would not pour at a fast speed into my mouth. The moment the first few drops touched my tongue, I withheld myself from grabbing the glass of water so I could chug it down.

It slid down my throat at a steady pace, wettening my sandpaper like throat and making it less of a dessert. The cool water running down my throat was so refreshing and I felt more grateful for water than I have ever been in my life. 

The glass was about half way down when I moved my head away making Everett move the glass away before he placed it on my bedside table.

"Thank you." I hoarsely whispered hoping that he heard me.

The door suddenly opened to Noah's panicked form, making me instantly perk up in worry as I stared at his approaching form. The kids stayed quietly glued to my sides before I felt hands take each of my one on either sides of me as they stared at Noah's approaching figure.

"You two shouldn't be close to me. You might also get sick." I weakly whispered as I tried to slip my hands out of their smaller ones, notice the word 'tried'. They had strong, firm grips for kids.

"I will not be asking you to leave her side, Little ones. I promise." He softly smiled at the two kids on either side of me before he's face went blank and his eyes glazed over as if he were deep thought. He's face suddenly filled with horror before he looked at me with panic, immediately making my stomach drop. 

"I'm afraid I need your help." He said with barely contained fear and panic lacing his words.

"Why?" I found myself hoarsely whispering in fear even as I tried to inch further into the headboard.