The Space Between

Chapter 2

Abi stiffened as she turned to her parents.

"This is Fenrys Moonbeam." The sudden elation that came over her nerves was a little jolting as she was about to stab this male a minute ago.

"Yes, that's my name." The male - Fenrys - said, holding out a hand in greeting. Abi shook it, nerves bouncing, almost vibrating her hand against his.

"So you know about me but I don't know anything about you. Why is that?" He turned back to Aelin and Rowan eyebrows raised. They both stood there silent for a moment, eyes of green and blue darting back and forth between Abi and Fenrys.

"You needed time and we wanted to give it to you." Aelin said.

"Okay, yes I needed to be away, but you had a child Aelin, what looks to be-" His gaze once again traveled over Abi's frame calculating. "About 25 or so years ago. I feel as though it would have been fine if someone said something. I wanted to be able to congratulate you." He paused for a moment looking at the floor. "Does everyone else know?"

The silence was deafening.

Abi knew that she probably should leave, that this was between her parents and Fenrys, but she couldn't look away. The drama that was beginning was too interesting for Abi's impressionable mind.

In the past, when days got like this and there was nothing more to do than look at her ceiling and daydream about the possibilities of her life, she would wish for a war. She wasn't proud of the fact, knowing that most of her father and mother's earlier lives were taken up and almost ended by war and battle. But, she listened to their stories, the tale of Aelin Galathynius, of how she defeated the Valg and became Queen of Terrasen. How her mother became something, it was all Abi could do not to wish for the same fate. She needed a purpose and wanted nothing more than to make her mother and father proud. War would give her all of those possibilities.

She was powerful. She had the raw magic that no one knew quite what she was capable of. She trained and trained, every godsdamn day. She was ready.

"Yes, the others know." Rowan finally broke the silence, breaking Abi from her stupor.

Fenrys scoffed in disbelief, flashes of hurt crossing his features, as he began to storm out the room. Abi panicked knowing that the action would end there if Fenrys left, and she wouldn't let that happen.

"Wait!" She said, grabbing his wrist. He spun around, some of the anger and pain leaving his features. "How did you even get in here? I couldn't sense anyone in the room and then suddenly you were just behind me."

Aelin began to answer, but Fenrys spoke first. "I can winnow." He said as if it was a fact the whole world knew about.

"Winnow?"

"Yes, winnow, teleport, whatever you want to call it. Your parents didn't tell you?" He turned to face Rowan and Aelin again.

"No, the only thing I know about you is your name and the role you played in the war." Abi said and realized she was still holding Fenrys' wrist as he tensed, just enough that she could feel it, but not see it.

"Well yes, I can teleport. It's my gift, as your mother has her fire and your father has his ice. I can move between spaces." He must have realized she was still holding his wrist too because he gently pulled out of her grasp.

"Teach me." Abi took up his wrist again, knowing he wanted to leave and knowing it would give a new thing to fixate on. She began to pull them both out of the room.

"Teach you? I can't teach you. You have to be born with this, to be able to do it." He said, but let her lead him out of the room.

A small smile hit Abi's lips as they exited the throne room and headed for the clearing she trained at every day.