Ethari started getting suspicious when Rayla and Callum started making excited noises, so loud that he could hear them even though he was inside. Setting down the map he was hunched over with a sigh, he got up and decided to investigate what was going on.
"I mean, worse case scenario is that they turn on us and kill us," Callum's voice rang out from down below.
Turn on them and try to kill them? Ethari wondered. What in Xadia were they talking about?
"Or that Ethari doesn't let us go because he thinks your idea is stupid," Rayla countered.
Stars above, what are they planning that I wouldn't approve that could potentially get them killed? Ethari quietly continued making his way down the winding staircase to the pool where Callum and Rayla were talking, trying his best not to make a noise that would alert them of his presence.
"Then we won't tell him," Callum suggested.
Ah, yes, Ethari thought sarcastically. Don't tell the person who is legally responsible for the girl you're talking to about your utterly fantastic plan to get the both of you in trouble, or quite possibly, get you both killed. Bravo, Callum.
"This is a terrible idea," Rayla sighed, standing in front of Callum and crossing her arms over her chest.
Finally! Someone with good common sense!
"Maybe," Callum agreed with a grin. "But think of how happy Ethari will be when we succeed! He'll have Runaan back!"
Ethari stopped in his tracks when he heard those words come out of Callum's mouth. Did Rayla and Callum know of some other (dangerous) method to get Runaan back? Why didn't they tell him about it?
"Fine. Let's do it," Rayla agreed. Ethari chose that moment to make his presence known.
"Do what, exactly?" He asked. The high-pitched squeal that came out of Callum as the boy shot a good three feet into the air was almost as entertaining as the look of pure terror in Rayla's eyes before she realised it was only Ethari and not someone out to get her.
"Ethari! How long have you been standing there?" Rayla wondered, her shocked expression turning into one of curiosity.
"Since the two of you decided to not tell me something about Runaan," he stated, walking closer to the two. Rayla blushed and Callum laughed nervously, rubbing at the back of his neck as he tried to figure out what he was going to say. Ethari crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for an explanation.
"Callum thought that instead of you trying to find someone or something that could do dark magic and go to them that we could go find them or it and bring it back to you," Rayla eventually told him. She could never lie to Ethari, and the older elf knew it.
"So you two were going to run off in search of dark magic without telling anyone where you'd gone or when you might be back?" Ethari questioned. He could believe that Rayla would be that stupid to go off on a dangerous mission, so unprepared. He fully expected that from Callum. But Rayla? He'd thought that he and Runaan had taught her better than that.
"Well when you put it that way..." Callum started.
"I'll take that as a yes," Ethari cut him off with a sigh.
"I'm really sorry, Ethari," Rayla told him, sitting down hard on the edge of the pool with a look of defeat. "I guess I didn't really think it through."
"Don't apologise, Rayla," he laughed, sitting down next to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Rayla leaned her head on his shoulder with a sigh. "You didn't do anything wrong. Yet."
"We just thought you looked miserable and we wanted to help." Callum sat on the ground in front of Ethari so he could look him in the eyes while he talked to him. It was a quality of Callum's that Ethari respected: The boy, while stupid at times, was polite and respectful to everyone, even those who didn't deserve it.
"And I thank you both for trying to help," Ethari told him with a smile. "But maybe next time you could tell me what your plan is so I can help you."
"You mean, you'll let us go?" Rayla asked hopefully, sitting upright and backing away from Ethari, just enough so she could look at his face to try and find an answer in his facial expression before his voice could tell her yes or no.
"It is a brilliant idea, one I had not thought of. I would be foolish not to try it out," he said, watching the look on Rayla's face get more and more hopeful. "However, if I am to let you both go, I expect you to do two things."
"Anything!" The both shouted at the same time.
"First: I'm coming with you."
The both groaned, but neither one of them objected.
"And second: You will listen to me if I tell you to do something," he told them. "I'm not going to be overbearing and obnoxious and tell you to do things all the time. What I mean is that if I tell you to go back home, you go back home. If I tell you to leave me behind, you leave me behind. Understood?"
"Understood," Rayla responded quietly.
"So if I'm being 'annoying' or whatever and you tell me to shut up, does that mean I 100% do have to shut my mouth? Or can I..." Callum started but Rayla kicked him in the shin.
"Callum!" She hissed at him, glaring at him with intensity.
"Understood!" He told Ethari, who laughed at the whole situation.
"Alright then," Ethari said as he stood up. "Pack a few important things like food and weapons, and we'll be off!"