Forgotten Memories ||The Dragon Prince||

Chapter 12: Too Easy

[Rayla]

"So can you finally explain to me this master plan of yours?" Rayla asked as she led Callum towards her home, the Silvergrove.

"Fine, here's my plan," Callum said, stopping, "We'll use your key to get in, and since Ethari can see us in reflections that's how we'll contact him. I was thinking we could write on a piece of paper why we need his help, and then he can help us."

Rayla stared at Callum, her eyebrow raised, "That is the stupidest plan I've ever heard."

"Do you have a better plan," Callum asked, skeptically.

"Well... no," Rayla said, crossing her arms, "But there are so many issues in your plan. What if my key no longer works? What if Ethari doesn't even have a moon opal? After all, they're really rare. All of the gems we need are."

"As I said, do have any better ideas?" Callum said, sighing in frustration.

"Yeah how about we don't rush this and think this through?" Rayla said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Can we not fight about this? I know that this whole situation is stressful, but trust me, okay?"

"Why can't you trust me?" Rayla said, grabbing Callum's hand, "You don't have to shoulder this burden by yourself, I'm here to help you. So let's work through this together and come up with a better plan, okay?"

Callum sighed, and then smiling at her added, "You're right."

"Like usual," Rayla said returning the smile but froze when she heard a rustling from her right.

"Maybe we should go back to the storm spire-"

"Callum, be quiet," Rayla whispered.

"Why?" Callum asked, lowering his voice.

Rayla pointed towards where she had heard the noise, "I heard something over there."

"It's probably just an animal," Callum said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Maybe..." Rayla said, drawing her swords, "But better to be safe than sorry."

"Are your swords necessary?" Callum asked.

"Yes, are they?" A voice said from behind them.

Rayla jumped in surprise. The next thing she knew she had swiveled around and, placing herself in front of Callum, pointed her swords at their unknown assailant. But Rayla suddenly stopped because she did know the person she was currently holding at sword point.

"Ethari?" Rayla asked as she lowered her swords, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Ethari said as he took in Callum and Rayla.

"We were trying to find a way to contact you," Callum said joyfully, "And here you are!"

"Really?" Ethari said, smiling, "Then I guess-"

"What are you doing here?" Rayla repeated herself more forcefully.

There was no way that she and Callum would just randomly stumble into Ethari right as they needed his help. Plus why would he be out in this part of the forest?

"I'm out here so I can gather supplies for my spells," Ethari said pointing to a bag on his back.

"See that's believable," Callum said, smiling at Rayla, "And we just so happened to bump into each other."

Rayla pursed her lips and glared at Ethari. She knew him and he never came to this part of the forest if he could help it.

"So why were you looking for me?" Ethari asked.