The Zodiacs

40. Awakening Clash

"I don't care!" Odion shouted, finally snapping after forcing himself to remain calm. It had grown suffocatingly difficult now that they had left the cave and no longer had even the slightest idea what was happening with the Pharaohian Army. "She's my sister! I'm not letting her die because you don't think we have a plan!" He snapped at Akil.

The older Zodiac narrowed his eyes at the boy as he spun around to meet his gaze. They'd all been painfully silent the entire journey --but they'd only made it a short distance away from the mountain that was still in distant view. Although it was much smaller now.

He sighed, recognizing the difficulty he may have been facing. "What are we supposed to do, Odion? She's already there and we're already here," he motioned around to the quiet group of Zodiacs around them. "Do you want to go back now?"

"Yes! I can't-."

"Then what's the use?" Akil questioned with a shrug of his shoulders, dropping his head lazily to the side while his eyes remained on the younger boy. "Why did she expose her location in front of all those men if you're just going to turn back? It would all be for nothing, and I don't think Zahra would be fond of the decision."

"To hell with what she's fond of!" Odion waved both of his hands in the air in frustration. It made Keket flinch away from beside him at the surprising outburst she'd never witnessed on the boy before. "I'm done doing what she's fond of! All she ever does is put herself in danger for me and think that it makes me happy or proud or- when I only hate myself more every time!"

Seth blinked sympathetically at the distressed boy, but his expression quickly fell away when his gaze focused on something past all the other Zodiacs. He began to reach for Akil.

But another voice interrupted their conversation before the albino Zodiac had the chance to. "Yes, I would also hate myself if I was the one to run away like a coward while my sister fought off the enemy," the Pharaoh spoke as the silent army appeared over the nearby dune. "Or... tried to, at least," he chuckled.

All the Zodiacs spun around to face the expanse of trained men and their raised blades that had approached behind them. Asarte gasped, instinctively backing away until her shoulder knocked against Aaron's. He looked forward but wrapped his arm around the youngest girl's shoulder, pulling her to his side protectively.

Odion's eyes became poison directed at the unsuspecting king that slowed to a stop in front of them. He looked around the crowd for his sister, but his eyes landed on the familiar Dauha instead. "Where's my sister?" The water sign hissed, his tone dropping dangerously.

The Pharaoh drew his eyebrows together in question at the boy's statement, but he knew exactly what Odion meant. "I'm sorry?" He asked with an unusually friendly smile.

Keket narrowed her eyes at the King and Queen standing taller than the two horses in front of their large carriage.

"Where is my sister?" Odion repeated through ground teeth, stepping forward as his fingers curled into his palms and buried themselves into the feeble skin with a strength that could have drawn blood. He'd never felt such hatred toward anybody.

"Oh," the Pharaoh chuckled, nodding his head in a way that only made Odion fume. Everybody felt the air still over them with the growing discomfort blown with each word from the king. "That was your sister?"

Odion's eyes slid over to meet Omari's just like Akil did, but the Knight didn't meet their gaze and continued to stare forward.

That's when his attention turned back to the king just as the man delivered the final blow. "Well, she's dead."

The boy's heart fell, his expression clearing. "What...?" Odion breathed, his voice wavering just as the beating of his heart did. He hadn't heard him right; he was mistaken. There was no way.