Exchanged Read online

  “You and I should arrange to speak of him.” Oberon straightened. “I’m sure there are plenty of stories we could trade.”

  “I spoke to Lord Thray about the guest rooms,” Titania interrupted curtly, sparing Aubriel her response. “It would seem everything is ready for our special guests.”

  Oberon nodded. “I have to admit, Callannon, I was surprised you were up for hosting them, but I can’t think of a better time to show them the best side of the Summer Court.”

  “I have no doubt things will go well,” Callannon said with pure confidence. Aubriel marveled at how he could be so sure when he’d just learned of his guests less than an hour ago.

  “With you, they usually do, my friend.”

  Titania slid close to Oberon without touching him. “I’m sure Lord Thray needs to continue preparations, as do we.”

  “Alright,” Oberon said with a huff. “Until the party.”

  The king gave Callannon another pat on the back and gave Aubriel a nod, pinning her with a curious look. He was much more open than she’d been expecting.

  Oberon put his arm around Titania’s waist as he grasped a pendant around his neck and chanted. The pair disappeared quickly with a shimmer of light, but not so quickly that Aubriel didn’t notice the king’s hand wander lower and the queen’s face twist in anger. Aubriel stared at the empty space for a moment, wrapping her head around all that had happened. “Callannon, is everything still alright?”

  His warm body pressed against her from behind, his arms wrapping around her. “I’ll make it alright. Come back with me?”

  She turned in his arms and held him. “Of course.”

  Chapter 8

  “Yes, my lord,” Mrs. Delia said as she jotted a list. “Is there anything else you need?”

  “Nothing else beyond what we’ve already discussed, Mrs. Delia. But please be quick—and thorough.”

  “Very well, Lord Thray.”

  As Mrs. Delia gave a small nod and left to do his bidding, Callannon opened the door to his room and entered with Aubriel. He’d been burning to be back with her, and now that Mrs. Delia was aware of their impending guests, he could ignore the world for a short while. The moment the door snicked closed behind them, Callannon turned and hurled incantation after protective and silencing incantation at the door. “We will not be interrupted again.”

  He turned to Aubriel and found her sitting at the edge of the bed. He’d hoped her entry into the Summer Kingdom would be smoother than this, but she’d already faced down both Titania and Oberon. How could she still be so composed after having magic, arrows, and political maneuverings thrown her way? He leaned in and gave her a short kiss, then pressed his forehead to hers. “Aubriel, how are you—”

  “Now isn’t the time for talk, Callannon.” She kissed him again, a deep passionate kiss.

  With the slightest tug, she pulled him above her, and he wasted no time pressing into her. She melted against him, kissing him fully as if they had never been interrupted. It was impossible to keep from giving all of himself to her, and he had to remind himself to take his time, to not let his excitement rush them through this much awaited moment.

  After kissing her lips until they were ripe and swollen, he turned her chin to the side and moved to her neck. Her scent was that of the forest she came from, mute oak with a hint of sweetness. He kissed her neck slowly, her sweetness extending to her taste as well. Her slender hands ran over his back, his shoulders, his neck, and even the smallest touch of that sensitive skin left him groaning in pleasure against her.

  He followed the pace of Aubriel’s breathing and arching, eager to let his hands explore her in turn. The sight of her in the yellow dress had drawn his attention throughout all of Oberon and Titania’s visit, and he was glad to finally be able to focus on it and how it fit Aubriel so perfectly. He would be happy if she chose to wear that dress every day. It flattered her every dip and curve, and it was so easy to slide his hands up her thighs.

  She arched more sharply against him and gasped. Ignoring his own throbbing desire, he pushed her skirts up and kissed along the inside of her thigh. Her moans were quiet as whispers, as if anyone could hear them through the thick layer of spells on the door. He lifted his head slightly. “Don’t feel that you need to restrain yourself, Aubriel.”

  His exchanged grasped fistfuls of blankets in her hands and pushed herself up just enough to give him a strained look. “Callannon Thray, if you don’t keep kissing me right now, I think I may just scream.”

  He didn’t need telling twice.

  Without wasting another moment, he continued his trail along Aubriel’s sensitive skin, waiting until she relaxed against him before pulling off her undergarments and finally tasting her. He dipped his tongue into her and explored her, the high praise of soft moans and incoherent gasps escaping her lips. Each taste built his need for her, and when she tugged him up and began pulling off their clothing, he eagerly joined in.

  They couldn’t get rid of it quickly enough. Callannon was still in the process of tossing the yellow dress to the floor when Aubriel grasped him and pulled him toward her. In a short burst of coherence, he wondered if she knew he had no choice but to obey her, that he would refuse her nothing. She wriggled under him, positioning herself against him so that his cock pressed between her thighs. Her long pink hair lay splayed under them, her eyes heavy with anticipation.

  “Aubriel,” he whispered against her mouth. As greatly and deeply as he wanted to join with her, he wanted to extend the moment. He enjoyed drawing her pleasure, seeing how long he could make it last.

  “Callannon,” she said in a husky voice. “I can’t wait any longer.”

  He pushed against her as her fingers slid around his hips and drew him into her. She accepted him fully, drawing him down into her warmth. The pleasure of the moment washed over him, and suddenly, so did desperation. This honest, courageous woman was here with him, so very mortal. With each thrust he drew them both closer, gave her all of himself.

  His arrogance at assuming he could protect her would be her undoing. Aubriel was in danger because of him, and yet he couldn’t push her away somewhere safe. He brushed aside thoughts of the fey who might use her to their own advantage. She was strong enough to oppose them. She would have to be.

  A drawn-out moan brought him crashing back to her, pleasure dismantling his every thought. Her fingers dug into his hips. Callannon slipped a hand under the small of her back and lifted until she breathed his name. The coiling heat within him compressed to its limits, and at once, they tipped over a sheer precipice. His fall slowed as they rocked together until it stopped completely.

  “Rest your weight on me,” Aubriel breathed. “All of it.”

  “Let me know if it’s too much.”

  This was his favorite part. Reveling in the afterglow, where it felt more like they were one body than two. Aubriel said something against his shoulder, but it was too muffled to make out.

  “What was that, my exchanged?” he asked after rolling them so he lay on his back, Aubriel resting her weight on him.

  “I thought you said Oberon and Titania’s relationship was awful.”

  “I did, and it is,” he responded. “What made you think of that?”

  “It felt so pleasant underneath you, skin against skin. Then I remembered seeing Oberon slip his hand down Titania’s backside right before they vanished.”

  Callannon scoffed. “That sounds like him. His amulet takes him back to court, by the way.”

  Aubriel propped herself on his chest. “I thought they didn’t like each other. Besides, Oberon doesn’t strike me as the best husband. He kissed my hand like you did, except he was even more forward about it.” She shuddered at the remembrance, which Callannon couldn’t help but feel happy about. “And his wife was standing right behind him!”

  That hasn’t deterred him the past fifty years. “It’s...complicated, but you’re right. Loyalty is lacking in their marriage.”

  Aubriel was qui
et for a moment. “If they’re unfaithful, I suppose it’s no wonder they don’t get along.”

  Callannon stroked Aubriel’s hair. “What makes you think Titania is unfaithful?”

  “You just said their marriage lacked loyalty.”

  “It does, but as far as I know, Oberon is the only one who has been unfaithful. Titania has deceived and mislead Oberon enough in the last fifty years to fully ruin his trust in her, but I don’t think she would risk the punishment that being unfaithful would bring upon her.”

  “Punishment?” Aubriel frowned. “What punishment? And what of Oberon? Is he punished each time he is unfaithful?”

  “No, he isn’t. Only married women of the Summer Kingdom suffer punishment for infidelity.”

  “That’s unfair!”

  Callannon grasped her hips to keep her steady and tried not to think about how her movement, and her new position of sitting up on his hips, made his cock stiffen within her. “I agree completely, but that is the law, and it would take convincing Oberon and the court to change it.”

  “Which he wouldn’t do, because then he’d have one less way to keep her in line?”

  “That’s exactly it. I’ve talked to him about it myself, but even I couldn’t sway him.”

  Aubriel deflated a little and gently fell back upon his chest where he held her tightly. “Even though she tried to trick me, I feel bad for her.”

  “I did too, but she tried to trick you and has lost some of my good will.” He thought back to Oberon’s accusations of Titania knowing about Venta but not acting on the information. An anger burned in him for a moment before he snuffed it out. “There was much good in her once, but it slowly dwindled once she and the king began growing apart. She cannot be trusted.”

  “Will you tell me what happened?” The look of concern tugged at his heart. He would tell her everything—he needed to tell her everything—but he couldn’t do so now.

  “I shall, but at the moment there is a ball to prepare for.”

  “The ball!” She would’ve jumped from his arms had they not been so tightly woven together on the bed. “Callannon, I don’t have anything to wear but my hunting clothes and the yellow dress.”

  “Don’t worry,” he murmured, stroking her back until her tension eased. “Preparations have kept me busy, but I haven’t forgotten.”

  Callannon gently guided her off of him and the bed, leading her unabashedly to a wardrobe across the room. Keeping one arm loose around her waist, he placed her free hand on the furniture’s solid wood and pictured the gown Aubriel wore in the dreamscape, smiling to himself. He opened the doors, and the gold and white gown was inside. It was just as he remembered it, and apparently just as Aubriel remembered it as well. He did his best not to chuckle at her surprised gasp.

  “You...did you just make this?” she asked as she reached out to touch the fabric.

  “I’ve been working on it bit by bit since I knew you’d be coming to the ball. It seemed the most appropriate thing to prepare. You’ll find some jewelry in the vanity as well,” he said, nodding to the elegantly carved, dark wood nearby. “If you don’t like it, just think of what would suit you and open the drawer. It will provide as best it can, drawing from the collection in the basement.”

  “Callannon...” She was breathless, her face flushed.

  “I’m happy to give you everything I can, but this could all be taken away if we’re found out.”

  A beat passed, and she threw her head back and laughed. He took the moment to admire her, standing in the circle of his arms, naked and laughing. If only there wasn’t a ball that evening.

  Aubriel’s eyes were bright. “That doesn’t matter to me. You know it doesn’t, so you don’t have to keep reminding me.”

  “Good.” Relief washed over him. “I must dress and make sure everything is in order for tonight. We still have time, so don’t feel that you need to rush.”

  She kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself to his mouth. He had to cup her bottom and hold her up so that their lips could meet, but he didn’t mind in the least. It meant he could feel the entire length of her body pressing against him. Before Callannon could take her back to the bed again, he set her down and tore himself away from her.

  ~*~

  The staff nearly ran through the halls, zipping this way and that with platters and decorations floating in their wake. Callannon paced the hallways, directing the chaos comfortably if nervously.

  Poking her head out of the bedroom door, Aubriel saw a stiffness in Callannon’s shoulders as he talked to Mrs. Delia and gestured succinctly. She couldn’t hear the words they exchanged, but she could tell that he was on edge, even more so than when Titania and Oberon visited. It was likely the result of being told he had foreign guests attending his party at the last minute.

  “I think I’ll need to leave you soon,” she whispered to Acorn. The red fox stuck her nose through the open doorway as well. “Will you be alright waiting here?”

  Acorn yipped.

  “If you want to roam the rest of the manor, that’s fine, but you’ll be stuck outside the bedroom until Callannon and I return.” At the fox’s pleased tail swish, Aubriel smiled. “Besides, I could use your help keeping an eye out for the infamous Captain Salda.”

  A twinkling of lights from the gloaming through the windows told her that Callannon might not have much longer to prepare. She made out a carriage coming down the path to Sagma House, still some ways off and likely the first of the guests to arrive. The horses drawing the carriage were much more interesting than the carriage itself: they were mostly transparent and flickered in the light like glass. She watched their glistening entrance until she noticed Callannon approaching her, his eyes focused on her and her alone.

  She couldn’t help but flush at the attention. She wore her golden gown from the dreamscape, even more beautiful than she remembered it, her hair tumbling down her back with her token tucked behind her ear. He seemed to like it when she left her hair down. “Is all well?”

  “As well as it can be. I’ve never met the king or queen of the Deepwood and am more than a little concerned with how some of our guests might treat them tonight.”

  “I don’t know how anyone will behave tonight, but there’s nothing we can do about that.” She looked him over, realizing he wore the same outfit from earlier. “What we do have control over is your clothing. You should get dressed, my exchanged.” Aubriel tugged him into the bedroom playfully and gave him a gentle nudge toward the wardrobe.

  Callannon pulled two outfits from his wardrobe and set them on the mattress. “Well?”

  Both options were dressed-up versions of what he normally wore. The first was a jerkin that looked like one hundred unfortunate hummingbirds flew into it. Embroidery and small feathers covered every inch of fabric, iridescent in the light, and the entire thing was topped with a stark white ruffle. The trousers lacked embellishment but similarly gleamed a green that belonged on a mermaid’s fin. Acorn growled at it.

  The second outfit was blessedly tasteful—a midnight blue doublet with silver embroidery and trousers. Instead of the odd chromatic effect the fey seemed to like for no reason she could discern, the silver was subtle, like soft starlight. “Wear this one.”

  “Really?” His tone betrayed surprise, but he simply shrugged and put the hummingbird outfit away.

  Chapter 9

  Balls were supposed to be beautiful enchanting affairs that made you feel as if you were living a dream. Such a vision did nothing to prepare Aubriel for the Summer’s Dawn Ball. The sheer amount of detailed decorations and the number of people packed into the ballroom were staggering. When she and Callannon entered on the balcony that oversaw all the guests, it took all her courage to not hide behind him. There were more people at the ball than lived in her village. The walls, banisters, windows, everything was made to look like it was actually an outdoor garden.

  Floating fairy lights that might have been actual fairies hovered in the air
above the guests’ heads, floating this way and that. The ballroom was awash in golds, yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds from the magic candles that never dripped wax onto the nobles’ clothing. Flowers covered the tables, garlands were strung over the doorways, and bar tables were fashioned to look like hedges with huge flowers whose petals opened to reveal drinks. Pixies and other airborne fey flitted about the room, serving drinks and food while bipedal staff bustled about the outskirts. Musicians played in the corner, a soft tune carrying up to the balcony.

  “This is...impressive,” Aubriel said, trying and failing to keep her voice steady. Callannon’s gentle squeeze and grip on her arm settled her, but she felt overwhelmed. He gave her a comforting smile.

  “This is my life. An unfortunate part of it, really, but with you here, I feel like I can enjoy the ball for the first time in decades. I’m going to make sure we have plenty of time to dance tonight.” Curiosity and warmth replaced anxiety at the thought of dancing with Callannon after all their practicing. To be so close to him, to have others see her with him. Even if she didn’t like the idea of others watching them dance, a small bit of her liked that the guests would know that she and Callannon were exchanged, that she was his and he was hers.

  She held onto his arm tightly. Together, they could overcome the crowds and threats and political maneuvering. They had each other.

  “We’ve been spotted.” He nodded to the crowd below them, and she saw more and more of the nobles turning to look at them. At her. “It will be alright, Aubriel. No need for nerves. Just follow my lead.” He signaled the caller, and she tried to steady her breathing.

  The caller stepped forward. “Lord Callannon Thray, Advisor to King Oberon of the Summer Kingdom, and Miss Aubriel of the Forgotten Mists!”

  With one last squeeze, Callannon led her to the edge of the balcony. The crowd below them erupted into applause, everyone straining to get a look at them.

  Callannon waved, fueling the clapping and cheers beneath them, then drew a symbol in the air with his hand. With a small chant, multichromatic streams of light erupted from his hand and spread throughout the hall above the guests. Shimming dust fell from the streams, and the flowers touched by the dust slowly shifted hue and softly shone. The lights grew until they obscured the whole ceiling, then they suddenly dissipated, revealing not the ceiling but the sky above, streaked orange and pink by the summer sunset.