Denied at First

The Space Between Us. [Marin]

After I said that, I could see the pain that was probably grabbing at her heart. Her eyes going blank, her freezing while she stared at me. I looked away immediately the second her eyes were starting to move, to look at mines. To search. Then a commander came up, probably to send us to our units, and to tell us we're starting to move. We've been standing here and going around for a while.

"What are you guys doing? We're preparing to move. Marin you're assigned to the specialized support unit, we're in need of your puppets support. And you, Aerice. You're up to join the defense this time. Aerice will most likely be behind the Attackers, supporting the two units."

I nodded and started walking away first, looking at the ground. Afraid to see the pain I caused her. I walked away without saying anything.

As I reach the support unit area, I'm greated with Marv. I've known her longer than Aerice since we seemed to join the war at the same time. During the seventh year of the ongoing war. The war where elves and humans finally came together to fight people who wanted to use their powers for bad and were corrupting the nations land.

"Hey Marin! What's up? How ya doing? Did you sleep well with Aerice in the cabin last night? I know she can be kind of reckless sometimes."

"Uh.. yea, she did kick a lot in her sleep though. Don't think I'll be sleeping in the same cabin or hay bed as her again."

"Well just a heads up there's new participants coming out the storage unit. They've completed training. Majority of them are knights though."

"Haha, thanks for letting me know, Mave. Lets get moving. Tell the recon so they can send the message to the front of the line."

Crap.. why was I reminded of her when I just got distracted from her.

As I quickly put on my pack and some armor we begin moving and Mave moves elsewhere.

When we began, the forest swallowed the sound of marching feet long before I was ready for the silence.

Branches creaked overhead, the air thin and cold as we climbed toward the mountain pass. My unit moved in a tight formation, the specialized support squad always kept close to the front in case we needed to deploy quickly. I should’ve been focused on the terrain, the shadows, the strange stillness that had settled over the woods.

But all I could think about was Aerice.

I hated that.

I hated how easily she slipped into my thoughts, how her voice lingered in my ears even now.

“Your puppet’s master power is cool, Marin.”

She said it so casually, like she didn’t know what those words did to me. Like she didn’t know how dangerous it was for me to feel anything at all.

I tightened my grip on the straps of my pack, forcing my gaze forward. The others in my unit walked with practiced discipline, eyes scanning the treeline, hands near their weapons. I tried to mimic their focus, but my mind kept drifting back to the moment I told her to forget last night.

Heat of the moment.

Coward’s words.

I knew the second they left my mouth that I’d hurt her. I saw it in the way her shoulders tensed, the way her breath hitched. Aerice wasn’t hard to read. Not for me. Not anymore.

But what else could I have said?

That I wanted her?

That last night wasn’t a mistake?

That I’m terrified of what my magic might do if I let myself want her fully?

No.

No, that would’ve been worse.

A twig snapped somewhere to our right. The entire unit stiffened. Hands went to hilts. A few soldiers raised their shields slightly, just enough to be ready without alarming the rest of the army behind us.

The forest went still again.

Too still.

Our captain lifted a hand, signaling for a halt. I felt the tension ripple through the line like a pulled thread. Even the horses behind us seemed uneasy, stamping their hooves against the dirt.

“Marin,” the captain murmured without turning. “Scout puppet. Small.”

I nodded, stepping out of formation just enough to get a clear line of sight into the trees. My fingers tingled as I summoned the energy, a thin beam of fading light flickering into existence. It coiled in the air like smoke before forming into a small, fox‑shaped puppet.

The light was dimmer than usual.

I was still too distracted. The puppet darted into the underbrush, silent and swift.

I closed my eyes, letting my senses stretch with it. The forest felt wrong—like something was watching us from just beyond the reach of sunlight. The puppet moved through brambles, over roots, weaving between trees. Then it stopped.

A shape stood ahead.

Tall.

Still.

Wrong.

Before I could get a clearer look, something slammed into the puppet—hard. The connection snapped, and the puppet dissolved into sparks.

My eyes flew open.

“Something’s out there,” I said, louder than I meant to. “Something big.”

The captain didn’t hesitate. “Shields up! Defensive formation!”

The unit shifted instantly, shields locking, spears angled outward. I summoned another puppet—larger this time, a towering silhouette of shimmering light. It took more energy than I wanted to spend this early in the day, but we didn’t have a choice.

The forest erupted. A massive creature burst from the trees, all jagged limbs and hollow eyes, like something carved from the mountain itself. Soldiers shouted. Arrows flew. My puppet lunged forward, intercepting the creature before it could reach the front line.

The impact shook the ground. I staggered, breath catching. Controlling something this size always took a toll, but the creature was stronger than I expected. It pushed back, claws scraping against the puppet’s chest, sparks flying.

“Hold the line!” the captain shouted.

I gritted my teeth, forcing the puppet to brace itself. The creature roared, a sound that rattled my bones.

And then,

Through the chaos..

I heard another voice.

“Aerice’s unit is approaching from the rear!”

My heart lurched.

She was coming straight toward the danger. I pushed more energy into the puppet, ignoring the burn in my veins. The creature slammed into it again, and I felt the strain like a physical blow. My knees buckled. Someone grabbed my arm to steady me.

“Marin, don’t overdo it!”

Too late.

I already had.

The creature shrieked, tearing at the puppet’s arm. I forced the puppet to grapple it, holding it back from the soldiers behind me. But my vision blurred. My pulse thundered.

My magic surged too fast, too hot.

If I lost control now,

If the puppet broke free,

If Aerice saw me like this...

A shadow moved at the edge of my vision.

Aerice.

She was running toward us, eyes wide, weapon drawn, fear and determination written all over her face. And for the first time since dawn, I felt something sharper than fear. I felt relief.