Exchanged Read online

  It might have been unkind to tease him, but Aubriel was hurt by his words. Even if she hadn’t been to this location before, she knew how to read a map. Without waiting for a response, she led him down the slope to the lush copse. It was a more vibrant green than the surrounding grasses and gave her an inexplicable mix of pleasant and uneasy feelings.

  Bree heard Elston’s quick steps before he managed to match her stride. If he had similar strange feelings, he said nothing, charging forward to his prize. The trees of the copse were thick, the air so cool it made her shiver. The shivering grew in her legs, making her pause. What was this place? There was no time to ponder with Elston already pushing past her. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her with him hard enough to make her wince. Something didn’t feel right.

  The copse opened to a clearing that dead-ended into the side of the hill, a shear wall mixed of earth and rock. At ground level, Bree saw what she had missed from the crest—a door. It obviously wasn’t naturally occurring, but it almost looked like it could have been. There was a distinct, perfectly shaped, rectangular outline, but the surface was flush with the rock. No knob, handle, or lock obscured the even texture of it. She wasn’t sure what she had expected to find when they reached the artifact, but it wasn’t this.

  Elston wasted no time going up to the door and banging on it. Knocking did seem a good way to get most doors to open, Bree supposed. The hollow echoes faded to silence. He put his hands along the outline and attempted to pry it open. The feeling of unease built in her stomach. The longer they were here, the more she felt like they were trespassing. There was a door, after all. Didn’t that imply someone lived here?

  “Elston,” she squeaked, stepping nearer.

  Ignoring her, he splayed his hands across the door and pushed. He grunted and flexed his impressive muscles, straining against the earth and stone. It didn’t move. He huffed loudly in frustration.

  Aubriel took another step forward. “It’s ok, Elston. We’ll find a way through. Let’s take some time to focus and come up with a plan.”

  The ringing of metal filled the clearing. Bree tensed. Why was Elston drawing his sword? Was he going to try prying the door open that way? He slashed at it with the hefty blade, casting sparks. When the door still didn’t yield, he turned to a sapling at the edge of the clearing and cleaved through its trunk with a growl.

  Holy goddess, what is he doing?

  The small treetop slid clear off the trunk and fell to the ground with a rustling thud. Bree had cut down younger trees for survival purposes while out hunting, but cutting a tree down for no reason other than to satiate anger? She stayed quiet as Elston plunged his sword into the ground and looked back at the door. His gaze slid to her and paused, as if he just remembered she was there. Straightening, he brushed some strewn hair away from his face. “This door is proving to be more trouble than expected. It’s not every door that can withstand a magic blade.”

  Aubriel looked between the door, Elston, and his sword, not sure what to say, or if she should even try.

  Elston exhaled. “I’m sorry, Bree. My annoyance overtook me. I just didn’t like the idea of getting stuck now, especially not after all the trouble you went through to get us this far so quickly.”

  She relaxed. Maybe she shouldn’t have judged him without hearing him out first. He was used to traveling on a road by horse, not through forest and brush on foot, and he really did look tired. “It’s alright. Just rest a little while, and let me take a look at the door.”

  He nodded and—to her surprise—complied, taking a seat on the plush grass next to his sword. Heartened but not completely lost of her hesitance, she went to the door. Pressing her hands gently along its surface, she felt the hillside. Other than being flat, it looked natural. She’d heard stories of doors made of solid stone, but those were usually in stories of dwarves and mountains, neither of which were here, especially if the height of the door was anything to judge by.

  “Did you find anything?” Elston called from his seat on the grass.

  “No, nothing.”

  “If nothing turns up, then maybe we are in the wrong spot, and we’ll just have to keep looking.”

  His remark would have hurt more if she hadn’t noticed a slight seam around the edge of the door, piquing her curiosity. There was no light—and certainly no gap—but the door could be opened. She was sure of it. The corners of her mouth turned up in quiet satisfaction. They were at the right place.

  Aubriel moved her hands to the outline and began to trace the seam with her fingertips. Serendipitously, she felt a small bump just above the doorway. As her fingers brushed over it, a light appeared in the seam at the top of the door. She jerked her fingers back in surprise. Was it a spell? A trap? Whatever it was, it vanished.

  “Did something happen?” Elston asked sharply.

  Not taking her eyes from the door, Bree moved her finger over the bump and kept her finger tracing the contour of the seam. The light followed behind her finger. She forced her excitement to stay down. The door wasn’t open yet. There was another bump at the base of the door, but as she passed over it, the light she had created faded. Why did it stop?

  “How did you do that?” Elston stood beside her, looking at the door in awe.

  She straightened and frowned slightly at the door. “Like this.”

  Placing her finger on the top bump, she began to trace again. Elston placed his finger on the bump and traced the opposite direction, lighting up the seam on the opposite side of the door as well. Bree looked at Elston and laughed. They eagerly moved their fingers along the seam, reaching the bottom bump at the same time. The light brightened for a moment before sinking into the rocky earth. The door scraped forward and swung open to reveal a rough-hewn hallway leading into the hill.

  We did it! Aubriel had been right about which paths to travel to get here, which destination was correct, and now how to open the door to the artifact. She turned to Elston, smiling so hard it almost hurt.

  He walked inside without a word.

  “Elston?”

  He didn’t answer her, turning along the passage and out of sight. She tried to tell herself he was just eager to find the artifact for the temple, but she didn’t quite believe it. Shaking her head, she jogged to catch up. The light from the doorway faded quickly as she moved around the bend and further into the damp hill. Even with her sharp vision, she could hardly see more than a few feet before her.

  The passage abruptly opened into a room, a slight luminescence lighting a pedestal at the opposite side. Resting atop the pedestal was a beautiful necklace of what Aubriel could only assume was elven design, though it was unusually intricate. The silver chain was wrought with blue stones that wove down to a large, sapphire pendant. It was the necklace that was giving off the slight glow, and she knew instantly it was the artifact they were looking for.

  Elston was already halfway across the room when her stomach sank. The passageway and room, though rough-hewn, had obviously been constructed by someone. The door was magic, and it was a fluke that they managed to find their way in. No rubble or disorder marred the room, and the necklace was carefully placed. Someone obviously put it here...hid it here. She didn’t feel like she had discovered a long-forgotten treasure. She felt no better than one of the thieves Elston had taken the map from in the first place.

  Letting her instincts drive her—the same instincts that kept her alive time and time again while hunting to feed her village—Aubriel dashed between Elston and the necklace. “Wait!”

  Elston’s brow furrowed. “What?”

  Bree winced at his tone. He stretched his hand out to reach around her, but she batted it to the side. “Someone left this here. Purposefully. This isn’t ours to take. I...I think we should leave it be. Don’t touch it.”

  Pops sounded as Elston clenched his hands at his sides so tightly his knuckles cracked. What had gotten into him? Where was the paladin she spent more than half her life admiring from afar? She hadn’t thought she would n
eed to reason with him. “I understand the temple wants you to make sure no thieves find what is plainly an important artifact, but this necklace is no more ours than the criminals you found plotting to take it. This isn’t right. Please.”

  Elston hung his head with a sigh and turned away from her. “You’re right. I didn’t see it as theft, or didn’t want to, but you’re right.”

  Relief flooded her. Aubriel relaxed, glad she was able to keep him from unintentionally committing a crime. The temple of Rabek would never have sent Elston on this mission if they realized they were asking him to steal something. She was glad they could still turn back now and put this place behind them.

  The warmth in Aubriel’s veins froze as Elston looked at her and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

  Pain exploded along her temple as Elston’s gauntleted fist crunched into her soft flesh, tearing and scraping. Bree stumbled back but managed to continue blocking him. “Holy Rabek! What are you doing?”

  “Out of my way, Bree. I won’t ask you again.”

  “But...the temple—”

  “Doesn’t even know we’re here,” Elston gloated.

  Aubriel tried to ignore the throbbing in her head. “You said the temple sent you, that the artifact was sacred.”

  Elston scoffed. “The artifact might be, or it might not be. You're the one who assumed the temple sent me on this journey. I never said that was why we were here.”

  Bree thought back to their conversations, trying to remember exactly what he’d told her. He’s right. I’m the one who wove the story for him, assuming he was on this journey for good reason. He only had to sit back and let me do all of the work for him. “Were there even any criminals, or did you make that up too?”

  “There were criminals, and they had the map. I took them to Skrengar’s guards for belligerent behavior as they’d had a few too many tankards of ale. Their lips were loose from the drink and I took the map from them as punishment for their actions.”

  “All the more reason I shouldn’t let you have this necklace.” She held her arms out in case he got any ideas about darting around her.

  “What are you going to do, Bree?” Elston said, a mix of anger and amusement in his tone. “Throw rations at me and hope I go away? That might’ve worked with the wolf, but it won’t with me.”

  “I’ll tell the temple what you’ve done. Every single person in our village will know of your deeds.”

  “Go ahead. Tell them. They’ll never take your word over mine, especially with no proof.”

  Doubt thrummed within Aubriel. How could he call himself a paladin and yet act like this? Fear and anger mixed with her breaking heart, causing words to tumble out of her mouth, “You have no right to act on behalf of Rabek.”

  It was another moment before she realized she was on the ground, watching dazedly as Elston stepped over her. A searing trickle emanated from where he’d hit her again. Gently pressing her fingers against the wound told her it was bloody. She half-blindly tried to push herself up, but the world spun around her, making her temple pulse. She wanted to stop him, but the pain from the blow made it difficult to focus. He hadn’t held back an ounce of force from the punch.

  Elston? Bree tried to keep her gaze on him.

  “Stupid girl,” Elston muttered, his hand hovering only a moment over the jewel-wrought necklace before grasping it.

  A burst of light blinded Bree, sending a searing wave of pain through her head. She blinked quickly and found her mind and vision clear. She also found that she and Elston were no longer alone. There was a man—an elf, but exceptionally tall—standing between Elston and the pedestal, holding the necklace at his side. Elston’s sword was drawn, but she didn’t remember hearing or seeing him draw it.

  The strange man’s gaze fell on her, his stormy face drawing down in anger. He turned to Elston. “This is your doing?”

  Aubriel saw Elston’s hands tighten on his sword, and she cried out in warning just as he lunged at the man. With practiced speed and deftness, the man stepped inside Elston’s swing, quickly chanted, and pressed his free hand against Elston’s chest. She blinked, and Elston was gone.

  Before she could process what happened, the man approached Bree and knelt beside her, his face and eyes showing concern and shining a silvery hue in the glow of his necklace. He didn’t look old, yet his hair was white. What was happening? Where did he come from? She wanted to ask, but the pounding in her head was stronger, her breaths irregular.

  “Be still.” His voice was deep, firm, and gentle. “The intruder is gone.” He lifted the necklace. “You protected what is mine, and for that, I thank you. I must attend to it now, but I will bond us so that I might find you again later.” Unable to make her body move—too shocked by all she saw and all he said—Aubriel could only watch as he extended a hand above her chest. A light escaped his palm and sunk into her body, filling her with warmth. “I’ll return to you when I can. For now, thank you.”

  The light faded, but the warmth continued growing, steadily enveloping her. Her eyes fluttered shut of their own accord, and she clutched at her chest where the light entered and burned hottest. She tried to look again at the man, but the world grew dark. Then suddenly, the pain was gone.

  Chapter 2

  Bree stood at the top of the hill, scanning the copse and the forest for Elston. Even as she searched, she didn’t expect to find him. She hoped she wouldn’t find him. Both of those things troubled her, almost as much as the memories that played through her head endlessly. Her recollections were spotty, but she had no trouble picturing Elston stepping over her stunned body or the mysterious man kneeling before her, his silvery eyes piercing her.

  The warmth from the light he’d given her still flowed in her body. She could feel its rhythmic pulsing alongside her heartbeat like the warmth of a hug after it’s broken. If she could still feel the man’s touch, then she knew what happened in the cave had been real. The unusual and the horrifying.

  There was no sign of Elston. Aubriel let her knees give way, and she sank onto the grass. The wind was stronger at the top of the hill and swirled about her. Unbidden, her eyes were drawn to the pass. Her sharp vision could just make it out, even at this distance. She would be alone when she took it this time, without Elston there to help her.

  It would have been better to take the wolf’s help over Elston’s.

  Shaking her head, Bree forced her inner voice away. So what if she didn’t have Elston’s help? That wasn’t an issue. She could travel the long way around by herself, avoiding the pass, since she didn’t have to worry about racing across the forest to steal an artifact. The river’s swelling would likely be down by the time she returned to it, and she could cross it and be back to the village without trouble.

  Back to the village, short of the paladin she left with. Or would he be there waiting for her, eager to blame her for his failures?

  Aubriel couldn’t return to Viget without Elston. How would she answer everyone’s questions when they asked where he was? What would she say to the temple? She couldn’t tell them that Elston tried to steal the artifact or that he attacked her. The entire village looked up to Elston, as he’d alluded. Even she wouldn’t have believed an ill word against him if she hadn’t felt the pain of his gauntlet smashing into the side of her face.

  There was no proof she could offer either, whether Elston was at the village or not. Gently touching her temple with the tips of her fingers, she felt the suppleness of healthy, intact skin. Whatever the strange man had done to her had healed the wound she so briefly bore. Not that the wound would have been enough to convince the village. They were as blind to Elston’s faults as she had been. It was possible she could ask the white-haired man to speak for her, but there was no sign of him in the cavern. Not even tracks, though the necklace was gone. Even if she could find him again, she doubted her village would take the words of a stranger over those of their prized paladin.

  A new feeling burned in Aubriel. Not the gentle warmth granted by
the man’s bond, whatever that was, but a burning anger incited by Elston. Gritting her teeth, she shoved her hand into her pack and tore out the map, ripping it to shreds. She stood and threw the pieces on the ground, looming over them, her anger unsated. How dare Elston use her, play her, and then toss her aside. What business did he have being a paladin and instilling justice?

  The more she thought of it, the more intense her anger grew. The sharp words and superiority had all been to keep her in line. He never had any intention of being anything to her other than the distant figure he’d always been. Everything he said or did had been done to manipulate her. He hadn’t even told the truth about the temple sending him off with the map for the artifact.

  It mattered little now that the damage was done. She couldn’t return to Viget, not unless she found proof or knew where Elston was. It wasn’t enough that she’d lost him, along with all faith and trust in him, but now she also had to worry about the person who’s attention she caught by seeking out the artifact. The tall elf. She knew he meant to use her and gain something from her too. He was going to be very disappointed when they next met. She wasn’t going to fall for that again.

  Aubriel took a deep breath. Staying near the copse wouldn’t be wise. The treasure might be gone, but there was no telling how many more of those maps existed or in whose hands they resided. She would make camp away from here, but not too far. She planned on discovering who that mysterious man was, what he wanted, and what he’d done with Elston.

  ~*~

  There was something odd about this part of the forest. Aubriel had only been this far northeast of Viget for little more than two days, but already she’d stumbled into a place where the trees and foliage were taller and more vibrant. It was such an abrupt change, reminding her of the odd little copse where the necklace had been. She found a natural path among the flora, winding through the trees. The morning had begun with her leaving to hunt, but she forgot that as she stared at the gold-tinted trees and richly colored ferns. The thick canopy of leaves left the forest dim.