Saturn: Sedatephobia (Completed)

Chapter 23-Apiphobia: Fear of Bees

   Zi had this weird light compass thing that led the way out of the maze. Every now and then I would turn around and see if Myla was following, but she wasn't anywhere to be seen. I sighed, and glanced down at Skye. His golden eyes were just barely open as he lay there in a daze from using too much power at once. My stomach groaned angrily, being a lack of food for the longest time, and now I was stuck carrying a pretty heavy guy.

"Zi, are we alm..." my words slowly cut off as I saw the natural light filtering down. I grinned, and with renewed energy, started dragging Skye just a bit faster. Seb stumbled as he tried to help me, but from his puffy red eyes and bleary steps, I knew he wouldn't be able to help me if I attempted to walk this fast.

   Once we had somehow managed to crawl out of the dark, damp, and cold hell-hole, I carefully set Skye down, and then collapsed face-first into the moist grass and dirt.

"Get up, lazy butt, we have to keep moving," it was Zi's ever-persistent voice. I groaned, getting a mouthful of wet group and dirt. I actually didn't mind, I would rather eat a full yard of grass and dirt than get up and keep moving.

"Come on, let's listen to blondie over here," Seb's weak voice croaked, breaking in mid-sentence. I turned my body so I was on my side, and then tilted my face up, looking at Seb's puffy red eyes, with dark circles underneath. Bruises littered his face, neck, and shoulders, and a large cut lay across his high cheekbones. He may be super annoying, but as his half-sister... I guess I'm expected to care. Oh, and I did care. Carefully, I pushed myself to a sitting position, and then bounced to my feet, and rushed towards him.

"FAMILY HUUUUUUG!" I screamed, rushing towards him and throwing my arms happily across his neck. He grunted at the impact, before awkwardly wrapping his lengthy arms around my upper back. I smirked, and then reached up with one hand, and completely messed up his hair. I didn't have to live with this guy my whole life to know that he had a true obsession with his hair.

"Okay, you can stop showing your sibling PDA, because currently, we have to get moving again," Zi interrupted, a bitter snarl rising in her voice. A frown creased across my face, bring my dark eyebrows down as I stared down at the golden epaulets on Seb's shoulder. I lifted my head, and my eyes set darkly on her. Her grave and dull green eyes met mine with a silent challenge.

"Why the heck are you acting like such a brat?" I snapped, stepping away from Seb and turning my whole body towards her. I crossed my arms, and popped my hips in one direction, the ultimate sassiness radiating off me as I glared her down. The same monotone look in her eyes didn't change as she continued to stare me down, almost as if baiting me on. I felt like a fish, gazing at the food in awe, but also knowing the danger of that food. Taking it could result in something horrible. But if I didn't take it, it would just keep being dangled in front of me, keeping an inner battle roaring inside me.

"I'm not being a brat, I'm just trying to protect y-everyone," she stated, stumbling slightly near the end. If even possible, my eyes narrowed even more.

"You were about to say 'you.' You only care about my well-being," I said skeptically, "why is that?"

   Her pale lips paled even more as she tightly pursed her lips, as if zipping in the secret, refusing to let such knowledge be known to the outside. My eyes widened, and then re-narrowed, studying her with a strident scowl. Her tongue poked out slightly, licking her lips as her eyes darted everywhere, but me. Slowly, she untensed, a small sigh escaping her lips.

"I knew I'd have to tell you eventually." Her downcast eyes lifted to look up at me with a somber look, "I'm your guardian."

  Cue the blank face. My eyes stayed narrowed as I tried and failed miserably to figure out what a guardian was. I mean, I knew a guardian protected someone, but since this whole magical world-or worlds- was completely different, it was probably a bit more... advanced.

"Um... so you like, watch me?" I awkwardly asked, frowning at her. She snorted and rolled her eyes, her thin arms crossing as she frowned down at me.

"I was sent an omen eight months ago about protecting some girl, after seven months of searching, I finally found you in Quie." A frown was set upon her pale face as she studied the grass a few feet in front of her. I plucked a small weed flower from the ground, and twirled it in between my fingers. I groaned, and rubbed my temples as the new information flooded my head. Seb was looking back and forth between us, his blue eyes wide in surprise. I took a deep breath, before letting it out with a sigh, and turned to look at Zi again.

"So... where do we go now, or what do we do?" I queried.

"We must go back to Kanonikos," she stated, her dull tone signaling just how bored she was.

"Um... how?" I asked, frowning as I tried to think of how to get back.

"I'll teleport us all, duh."

   Oh.