Restart Again: Volume 2 by Adam Scott (hardest books to read txt) 📕

the situation. She disappeared around the corner towards the basement as I jogged outside. I found Lia aggressively kicking a box next to Marten’s wagon. My approach mirrored that of an animal tamer approaching a dangerous beast: slow, deliberate, and ready to flee at any moment. When I reached an acceptable distance, I called out to her. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“NO!” she shouted as she launched another kick at the crate. The wood snapped on impact, and she recoiled with a hiss of pain. Without warning, she whirled on me with a pointed finger. “And what were YOU doing, by the way? Talking about me, I assume?!” Her usual overexaggerated tantrums after being teased by her father always wore off quickly, often with some degree of laughter. This time, there was no levity to be found.

I rushed forward and wrapped her in my arms. “I’m sorry,” I said softly into her ear.

There was a moment of resistance as she pushed away from the embrace, but she quickly sagged forward into my chest and hugged me in return. I ran my hands up her back and through her hair, lightly scratching the tips of my fingers across her scalp. After a few seconds of repeating the motion, she looked up at me with teary eyes. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

I shook my head and smiled. “It’s alright.” Releasing her from the hug, I sat down on the damaged crate and patted the open space next to me. She sat down and looked away to wipe her face with the back of her hand. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No!” She exclaimed again. Her tone had changed from anger to one of embarrassment, and I could see what looked like a spark of fear behind her eyes. “It’s nothing, really. Just...my father can be so stupid sometimes.”

The analysis made me laugh. “Whatever it is he said, I’m sure it came from a place of love. That probably doesn’t help you feel any better right now, but it’s good to keep in mind.”

Her brow furrowed as she thought it over, and she eventually gave me a small nod. “You’re right,” she said with a sigh. “I’m leaving again, and he’s trying his best to make sure I’m okay. However off-base he might be.”

I wondered for a moment at exactly what Marten could have said to upset her so badly, but I shook off the thoughts. “That’s a very mature way to look at it.”

“Of course it is. I’m a very mature young lady,” she replied matter-of-factly as she punched my shoulder. With a faint laugh she hopped up from the box and headed across the yard. “We should go wait for Valandra. I’m sure she’ll be here any minute.”

We made our way to the roadside together to wait for our new companion. After a few minutes the front door to the house opened, and Hana exited with Marten following sheepishly behind her. “Lia,” Hana called out as they approached, “your father has something he would like to say to you.”

Marten popped out from behind his wife and stood before his daughter with his hands clasped behind his back. “Marlia, darling, I’m...I wanted to apologize for, um, for what I…” His voice and mannerisms were muted as he fumbled over his words. “What I mean is, I didn’t want to, er, to upset you...I guess I didn’t—”

Lia stepped forward and gave him a rough hug. Judging by the expression on her face, the gesture was more to stop his awkward mumbling than a sign of true forgiveness. He patted her on the back as he returned the embrace, then stepped back in line with Hana. After a loud cough and a moment of fidgeting with his jacket, he turned to address me. “So, here we are again,” he remarked, with some of his usual exuberance returned to him.

“Here we are again,” I replied with a nod. “I have to thank you for the food, shelter, and hospitality you’ve given me once again.”

He waved away the thought dismissively. “Nonsense. You’ll always have a place in our home; you’re practically family now.” I felt Lia tense up beside me, and Marten quickly withdrew with another cough. The conversation died away, and we all turned to watch the road for the King’s Shield in silence.

It wasn’t long until Valandra came into view, and I was surprised by her method of travel; she sat on the front bench of a modestly sized cloth-covered wagon, holding the reins of a massive white horse. I heard a sharp inhale of breath from Marten behind me, but resisted the urge to pester him about it. Instead, I nudged Lia gently with my elbow and said, “I guess there are benefits to working with her, after all.”

A large smile spread across her face as she waved excitedly down the road. When the wagon reached our group, Valandra stepped down from the bench to greet us. “Good morning Lux, Lia.” She looked past us to Hana and Marten. “I have yet to formally introduce myself to you. I apologize.”

“No need!” Marten said graciously. “I am Marten Corell, and this is my lovely wife Hana,” he said as he put an arm around Hana’s waist and squeezed her tightly. “It’s a great honor to have you come all the way out here to our home.”

Valandra moved past me and shook their hands. “Marten, Hana, it is a pleasure to meet you both. My name is Valandra Sesaude, leader of the Trinity Guard and Shield of the King.” She turned to look back at us before she continued. “I am sure it is difficult to watch your daughter leave home.”

“It’s not the first time, and I’m sure it won’t be the last, either,” Marten replied with a grin. “I can’t think of anyone who could keep her safer than you will, Miss Sesaude.”

I swiveled my head to stare at him with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. “Yes, nobody could