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

“That was an...interesting interaction,” I remarked quietly, keeping my voice low to ensure it wouldn’t leave the confines of the wagon.

Lia giggled under her breath. “I don’t think Val usually has to talk this much.”

I thought back to her surprise at being given a nickname as I lowered myself to the floor and slid under the sheet. “I doubt anyone has ever talked to her as casually as we do. She’s the highest ranking military officer in Kaldan, after all.”

“Yeah, that’s true. It’s too bad; I think she’s really nice.”

“She’s...alright,” I conceded. Lia reached out and punched my shoulder jokingly, and we both laughed quietly together. With the light of the moon and stars blocked by the canvas cover above us, the interior of the wagon was nearly pitch black. I had recently found that I could switch between normal vision and Detection magic without conscious thought when the need arose, and my surroundings quickly buzzed to life with neon clarity.

Lia’s amber aura was comforting and warm as it pierced the darkness. As I stared at her beside me, I began to notice tiny details in her face that I had never seen before. There was a faint crease at the sides of her nose where her cheeks pulled back when she smiled. I counted four freckles hidden on her forehead, just at the edge of her hairline. A shy smile spread across her face as I watched her, and I saw her ear wiggle reflexively. My lips curled into a dumb grin as my chest swelled, sending a rush of blood to my cheeks.

These little things, the quirks that make her undeniably...her. How could I have missed them before? I knew the answer before I finished posing myself the question: I hadn’t, but I had chosen to ignore them. Without a reason to suppress my emotions, I felt like I was getting to know her all over again. “Hey,” I whispered, sliding my head closer to rest my forehead against hers.

“Hey,” she replied, weaving her fingers in between mine.

“I’m not sure if I’ve told you this yet, but...I love you.”

She gave my hands a gentle squeeze. “You may have mentioned it, once or twice.”

“Ah. Good, then. Just wanted to make sure,” I laughed quietly, rubbing my nose against hers.

“You could say it again, though. I wouldn’t mind.”

I let out a contented sigh. “As many times as you want.” I pulled her hands up to my chest and held them tight while I leaned in for a kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She returned the kiss before scooting in to snuggle against my chest.

The butterflies in my stomach took off in a frenzy at the sound of the words. No matter what happens, I will never forget this moment for the rest of my lives. Wrapping her in a tight hug, I nestled into a comfortable position as I closed my eyes. “Tomorrow will most likely be an eventful day. We should get some sleep.”

She nodded into my chest, and the wagon fell quiet. I listened to the low sound of her breathing as I gently drifted off to sleep, a contented smile on my face. Just before my mind shut off, Lia whispered, “Whatever happens tomorrow...we have each other. Nothing can change that.”

“You’re right,” I replied. “We’ll keep each other safe, no matter what.” Although I had slept next to Lia for the majority of my nights in Kaldan, I felt an unrivaled closeness to her as she curled tighter against my chest. The barriers I had built up in my mind to hide my feelings for her were gone, and there was nothing between us now but love. A wave of peace and acceptance washed over me as Lia and I fell asleep in each other’s arms.

---

The ancient form of the man reclined before me looked so frail and empty, I was afraid he might blow away as I walked to his bedside. I paused momentarily and watched for the rise and fall of his chest. It was difficult to see, but shockingly easy to hear; there was a heavy crackle to his breathing that made me want to cough reflexively. When I sat down in the padded wooden chair beside him, his eyes cracked open just enough to peer at me across the dim room.

“Lux, you look terrible,” the man said with a labored wheeze. He reached down for a thick blanket that looked to have been kicked off in his sleep, now just out of arm’s reach. “You should try sleeping sometime. I hear it helps.”

I leaned forward and pulled up the blanket, making sure to carefully tuck it in under his sides. “I could say the same for you, old man.”

“I’m not sure what you mean. I sleep all the time, nowadays.” He let out a rasping, wistful sigh. “I haven’t been in the lab for more than an hour this week.”

“You shouldn’t be in the lab at all,” I scolded. The lines on my face hardened into a frown, the natural expression I had held since my arrival in Hedaat. “Your work can wait, but your recovery can’t. What’s the point of another hour of research if you won’t live to see the results?”

He shook his head. “I accepted that I wouldn’t live to see my work fulfilled a long time ago. But I don’t have to; I know you can finish it in my place.”

“No, I can’t.”

The old man rolled to his side to face me with a painful slowness. “Yes, you can.”

“I can’t, and I won’t!” I snapped at him. “I didn’t ask for any of this, Jaren! You might have saved my life, but that doesn’t mean you own it. This isn’t my lab, and it isn’t my work.”

“It will be, once I’m gone.” Jaren spoke with a peaceful, accepting voice that only angered me further. “Your work here could change the world. You could make a lot of