Restart Again: Volume 2 by Adam Scott (best adventure books to read .TXT) 📗

ever watch over her like she will,” I said loudly. “Truly a task never before attempted.”

Marten ignored me with a dismissive wave of his hand as Valandra turned back to us. “Your belongings are in the back of the wagon. Please make sure everything has been returned to you, and that you are satisfied with the quality of the work. We can return to the keep if anything does not meet your expectations.”

After a few more disbelieving blinks at Marten I grumbled and turned to the wagon. Lia had already run ahead of me and hopped into the back opening, and I followed suit. The interior of the wagon was spacious; one side had a bench where four people could sit comfortably, while the opposite side was lined with small, individually labeled boxes. The floor space in between was wide enough for two people to pass by one another, and the cloth covering was just high enough for me to stand upright without hitting my head.

Two canvas bags sat on the bench, each labeled with a small nametag. Lia was already digging through one and pushed the other towards me when I entered. “This one’s yours,” she said offhandedly as she pulled her armor from the bag. I heard various gasps and giggles as she looked over the gear beside me.

Within my own bag, a small cloth pouch was the first item to catch my eye. It felt as though it were empty when I picked it up, but I heard a small metallic clink from inside when it moved. Upending the bag into my palm produced two steel rings, each of a different size and set with a different stone; the smaller ring was set with an amber colored citrine, while the larger band had a similarly cut sapphire.

I ran my finger carefully along the inside of the larger ring, and was pleased to find the symbols I requested had been engraved correctly. The level of craftsmanship behind the work was impressive; nearly two dozen foreign runes had been perfectly transposed onto both of the small loops of metal. I slid the larger of the two bands onto my right ring finger and gave it a few test spins to ensure the sizing was correct.

As I turned to Lia, a sudden thought gave me pause. You’re giving her a ring. Be VERY clear. “Lia, I have something for you.”

“Oh, did they leave some of my things in your bag?” She looked at me with a confused expression. “I thought I found everything already.”

“No,” I smiled, “I have a gift for you. I had the blacksmith at the keep make it.”

She perked up with excitement. “Is it a new weapon?! Maybe a dagger? Or a shield!”

“Nothing like that, I’m afraid,” I said with a laugh. “Here, hold out your hands.” When she complied, I gently set the ring on her upturned palms. “I’ve been thinking a lot about—”

“You had this made for me?” She asked breathlessly. Her face grew red as she looked up at me with glistening eyes. “It’s so beautiful…”

“Wait, let me finish!” I said, flustered. “I’ve been thinking a lot about how to advance our magic training. The last thing I have to teach you is magic runes, so I had them all engraved on the inside of the ring. That way, you’ll always have them on you, even if you don’t have your weapon.”

She held the ring up to her eye and peered through the loop. “Oh, they’re so tiny!” she exclaimed. Turning it end over end in her hand, her smile continued to grow. “And the stone is so pretty, too!”

“I tried to get one that would match your eyes. It’s close, I think, but it’s not the same,” I said, looking away as I felt my cheeks flush as well. “You told me that wizards usually cast spells through gemstones or wands, so I thought we could try to learn that, too.” I flashed the ring on my finger to her. “I had one made for me as well.”

She continued to examine the rings quietly, and the silence only increased the burning feeling of embarrassment in my face. “Well, try it on already!” I called out. “I sort of wanted it to be a surprise, so I couldn’t ask if you knew your ring size. I made a guess based on, um…” I trailed off as my brain caught up with my rambling. “Uh, yeah. I hope it fits. We can get it fixed if it doesn’t.”

I let out a sigh of relief when the band slid down over her finger and sat securely at the base. Lia held her hand up and admired the piece, then launched forward and hugged me. “Thank you,” she said quietly into my chest. “I love it.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” I said with a smile, hugging her back. I let the moment stretch as I reveled in the warm feeling tingling throughout my body. “You know, that ring means you’re going to have to train even harder now, right?”

“I’m ready!” She declared, hopping back a step.

“You’d better be! Our first practice session with them is tonight,” I warned her. “Now, why don’t you get dressed in that newly polished armor of yours? I bet your parents would love to see you fully equipped before we leave.”

“Can do!” She nodded happily. I took a moment to check over the rest of my kit as she began to change. Once I was satisfied that all of my possessions had been returned to me, I hopped down from the back of the wagon and returned to Valandra and Lia’s parents. They were exactly where I had left them at the edge of the yard; Marten was talking eagerly as Hana nodded along with a smile.

“This one will talk your ear off, Valandra,” I called out with a smirk as I approached. “He’s your biggest fan, you know.”

She considered the statement for a moment, then turned to Marten. “Is this true?