Restart Again: Volume 1 by Adam Scott (pocket ebook reader TXT) 📕

“This mana behaves partly like a muscle does; it gets stronger the more you work it. Most people don’t even know it’s there and it sits dormant, never moving or growing. What we want to do is break down the barriers our body subconsciously makes around it and let that energy flow.” I thought back to the lessons Brusch had given me. “Once you’ve been able to clear your mind and focus on your breath, try to picture a river flowing through you. It starts in your core, where the mana lives, and flows up your spine, through your arms and down to your fingertips.”

Sitting down gently beside her, I traced a line with my finger from the small of her back up to her shoulder in the same way Brusch had shown me, years ago. Lia squeaked quietly and blushed, taken off guard by the physical contact, but to her credit she quickly resumed the breathing exercise. Continuing the line, I drew my finger down the outside of her arm to the hand in her lap. It lingered there a moment before I withdrew my hand and stood up.

“This is what you want to practice. Get better at clearing your mind and focusing on your breath, and picture that river flowing through you. Once you feel comfortable with it, the last step would be to let that energy out through your fingers into an object used channel the mana and say the name of the magic you want to invoke. I use my sword because that’s how I was trained. I’m guessing they use wands or staves here? Something to shoot the magic out of?”

“In my storybook, the wizard was holding a big glass ball. I think that people use gemstones too, if they can find them.” Lia was still facing forward, eyes closed.

I nodded. Something uniform and easy to map. Makes sense. “That’s really all there is to the basics. If you practice that, I’m sure you’ll pick it up in no time.”

Her eyes flicked open. “And after I figure it out, I’ll have you here to teach me all the words!” The statement fell heavy on the room, creating an awkward silence as we both knew where the conversation would go next. I broke eye contact with Lia, looking down to the floor. “Lux? I have another question.”

“Sure,” I responded, particularly focused on an interesting knot in the wooden plank below my feet.

“What are you going to do now that you’re free?” Lia’s voice was somber now, any traces of the jovialness from before gone.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” I lied. “I think I should probably get away from Yoria. After what I did to get out, I don’t think the guards will stop looking for me. Plus, wherever I show up in a new world, people always...know, somehow. They find me, and then they want to use me for something.” My hands balled into fists at the thought. “It never works out well for me in the end.”

“Oh.” Lia sounded defeated. “When will you leave?”

“Probably in a few days, after I’ve had time to rest and regain my strength.” I can’t just avoid this topic. Now’s the time. I looked up from the floor to find her eyes downcast as she absentmindedly twirled the ends of her hair. “Lia.” Her eyes shot up to meet mine in surprise. I could see a wide range of emotions clearly across her face: sadness, fear, even longing. “Your father mentioned something to me while we were outside.”

She rolled her eyes, her expression changing to somewhere between embarrassment and annoyance. “Don’t let anything he says bother you too much. He likes to get under people’s skin.”

“He said that if I left, I should take you along with me. That you wouldn’t be happy here after I was gone.” I watched her face as I spoke, curious as to how she would react. Her eyebrows raised in shock and she sheepishly turned her face away as it burned red.

“O-oh,” Lia managed to stammer out. She tapped her fingers together nervously. “What did you say?”

“Lia…” I trailed off, uncertain of how to respond. I saw teardrops fall down to the bed from her downturned face. “Oh, Lia, please don’t cry.” I stood to put a hand on her shoulder, but she turned and put up a hand.

“I’m fine, really.” She flashed a false smile, diverting the rivulets of water running down her face. “Please, just answer.”

“Listen, Lia. You’re a fantastic girl. You’re quick witted and charming, with an infectious smile I can’t resist. You’re caring and sweet, and you look so cute when you’re getting teased.” I chuckled. “On top of that, you’re absolutely beautiful. Truly, anybody would be lucky to know you. I’m certainly glad that we met, even with the terrible circumstances of how it happened.”

“Lux, please...” Lia sniffled, moving to the edge of the bed.

“I don’t know where I’m going to go, but I know that it’s going to be dangerous. There’s no guarantee that I could keep you safe, or that we would always have a place to sleep and food to eat.” You can’t keep protecting her feelings, tell her how you feel. I took a deep breath. “I would be happy to have your company on the road, so you can obviously come along, but I—”

I was cut off when Lia dove from the bed in a tackling embrace, tipping my chair dangerously far backwards before I could catch my balance. Puzzled, I patted her on the back. This didn’t go exactly as planned. “What, did you think I wouldn’t let you come with me? It’s not like I could have stopped you from following me regardless of what I said, right?”

Now sitting squarely in my lap after her leap from the bed, Lia leaned back to look at me, hands on my chest. “You were being so nice, it just felt like you were going to