Honeybee | Wanda Maximoff {AU}

Chapter Fourteen: Florea

Music is "Back To Me" by Daya.

Picture is Claudia Doumit as Sarai.

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Apis Florea

Commonly referred to as the dwarf honeybee or the red dwarf honeybee, Apis Florea is one of the two species of small, wild honeybees of southern and southeastern Asia. They are recognized by their unique "piping noise," which is used as a defense mechanism. A. Florea are one of the most primitive of the living species of Apis.

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Chapter Fourteen: Florea

When I resurface from the astral plane, I felt like I haven't taken a breath for the whole five minutes. Wanda catches me with her magic before I fall backward. Stephen ends the spell, and Loki breaks the circle by blowing out the candles. As soon as the ritual ends, Wanda has crossed the barrier and falls to her knees beside me.

"Are you okay?" she asks desperately.

I nod, trying to find balance in the real world again. Vertigo still has a hold on my head and it's using it as a basketball. I hold my head in my hands and put it between my knees, closing my eyes. Wanda keeps one arm around me and the other rubbing circles on my back, knowing I need a minute.

After recovering, I sit back up and give a worried Wanda a reassuring smile. "I'm okay," I sign, realizing I can't find my voice.

"Did you get what you needed?" Stephen asks.

I shake my head affirmatively. Wanda and I help each other to our feet, and Loki turns the lights on. "My grandmother, she was there. She told me everything I wanted to know. Even showed me a few tricks. How long was I out?"

"Five minutes, just like we said," Wanda insists. "How long were you there?"

I scoff. "Hours. Time is wonky there."

"I'll say," Stephen agrees.

Melizza flies down towards me, hovering in mid-air. "You talked to the Queen that used to be?"

I nod, reaching my hand up to let the little bee land in my palm. "She taught me everything I needed to know," I tell her.

"So, what now?" Loki asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Now, we have classes to get to," Stephen states, hanging the scarlet cloak up at the back of the shop. "I have Neurology 101, you have theater, and Wanda has Women's Lit. And they all start in the next half-hour, so forgive me, but we need to move."

The two sorcerers ditch their magical wardrobe for medical scrubs and gothic attire. In the rush, my thoughts turn back to Vai's warning. She spoke about a male witch that I've come into contact with, but the only magical people I know are in this room. One female witch, and two sorcerers. Whatever witch she was referring to, I don't know his identity.

But she also said that I could do great things with my abilities. I could help save the bees. How I can do that exactly, I have no fucking clue. There are so many problems facing them today. I don't know where to start.

Then I remember what I saw before I collapsed. What I saw on the screen was horrific. Fake, metal bees inside a metal hive. My gut told me that this was wrong, that this isn't the way to help the bees, but what do I really know about it? This is Maximoff's super-secret project, one he promised would help alleviate our bee problem. Maybe it's good, maybe it's bad. I don't know anything more than my first reaction, and I know how well that went.