Chapter 114: After the Storm
Liora woke up again to a heavy, suffocating feeling. She groaned lowly, her throat dry and cracked, as she realized even moving a single finger was a struggle. It felt like her entire body had been battered and bruised, leaving not a single place untouched by pain.
Her lips parted, and a hoarse, broken voice squeezed out.
"Water..."
It was more a scratch than a word. The roughness of her throat made even that small sound feel like it was tearing something raw inside her. She needed to drink. Anything to soothe the burning dryness in her throat.
Just as she struggled weakly, trying and failing to lift her arm, someone moved close. A small hand helped tilt a straw to her lips. Without hesitation, Liora latched onto it and drank greedily, desperate as if even a moment’s delay would snatch the water away from her.
The cool liquid flowed down, washing away the terrible dryness. Every swallow brought relief, easing the scratching pain little by little until she finally emptied the entire glass.
Only then did she feel like she could breathe again. Only then did she have enough strength to force her heavy eyelids open.
The first thing she saw was a pair of sparkling blue eyes, wide and full of adoration and overwhelming relief.
A soft, unknowable smile tugged at the corners of Liora’s lips. She knew those eyes. She could never forget them.
"Eli..." she whispered, the name escaping her with a tremble.
Eli beamed, his little face lighting up as if he had been waiting forever to hear her voice. Without hesitation, he climbed up onto the small bed, hugging her tightly.