Chapter 359: Veil |
That had been a conscious revelation. Lancelot already knew, so Grace was obviously worthy of learning about it, too.
It actually made more sense for Grace to know. She was Liam’s companion on that journey. They would always be together. If one fell, both would, so there was no additional danger to be had by learning that information.
Also, Liam wanted Grace to know. It might be a selfish desire, but one he couldn’t deny or oppose after fighting Dominic. Grace basically was the closest person in his life now, so he would give her the truth she deserved.
There were acceptable compromises outside the half-life Liam disliked, but everything about his situation with Grace allowed him to disregard them.
Grace wasn’t sure whether she could trust her ears. Her lips parted, but not in disbelief. She knew Liam wouldn’t lie, but the news was too massive to take as true on the spot.
"That’s..." Grace muttered, unable to add anything, checking Liam all over, hoping that her innate instincts could spot something.
Liam caught that reaction from the corner of his eyes and decided to help. There was an easy way to prove that he was telling the truth, so he took the hand still clinging to the sword and brought it to his waist.
Grace went a bit defensive at that sudden touch. She held back a gasp, especially after checking where her hand had gone. After all, she understood what the gesture meant.
"William," Grace instinctively complained, her head snapping up, finding Liam looking at her.
Liam kept pressing Grace’s hand on him, not giving her much of a choice, so she eventually complied. She closed her eyes, adding her awareness to a trace of Qi that left her palm, arriving in a foreign reddish canvas.
There, Grace saw the embodiment of Liam’s secret. His cultivation was hers to study and potentially affect, but her awareness kept its distance, counting multiple times until she was certain no mistakes had occurred.
Liam had a dark-green core, ten spiritual roots, fourteen fully developed minor roots, and eighty-six additional protuberances. He was the real deal in ways all the books Grace had read had failed to depict properly.
Meanwhile, Liam felt a bit of discomfort about that invasion. It was as if something was moving under his skin, but there was another issue, a far bigger one.
Liam hadn’t expected it, but the situation felt quite intimate. Grace was right before him with her eyes closed, and he was basically holding her hand.
The two had been close several times already, but there was a clear difference now, and Liam didn’t know whether to blame himself, Grace, or the unique setting.
Grace soon opened her eyes, interrupting the inspection, wanting to say something, only to read the gaze looking back at her, drawing her in the same intimacy Liam was feeling.
Truth be told, Grace had come to terms with her feelings. She couldn’t deny them. They were unbecoming of a merchant, extremely problematic, but outside her control.
In a life that was all about mutual benefits, where everything and everyone only amounted to what Grace could earn from them, she had found her person, the only one outside that cold system, the one who had promised never to leave her.
"Master William, don’t think some sweet words are enough to placate me," Grace put up her usual strong front. "But now that you said them, I expect you to take responsibility."
Grace’s behavior didn’t match her strong front. She lowered her head, elegantly brushing a few loose strands of her brown hair behind her ear, her thumb timidly grabbing the big hand pressing on hers.
Grace also found herself blushing. She was quite the fearless merchant, even before branching experts. Yet, all that was new to her. She had considered selling herself, but as a currency. When it came to doing it with her heart, she couldn’t help but feel shy.
Meanwhile, Liam felt as if a veil had been lifted. He glanced at the thumb on his hand before inspecting Grace’s face again, having to hold back a gulp.
Liam had called Grace beautiful many times. It was the factual truth, but he saw that properly now. His brain reacted to everything he perceived, memorizing every sensation, awakening an inescapable awareness.
Liam was undeniably and unmistakably attracted to Grace.
’Stop it,’ Liam ordered to his very brain, but to no avail. A switch had been flicked, and he couldn’t unsee that truth anymore.
"Didn’t you hear what I said?" Liam changed the topic, escaping, slowly lowering the hand pressing on Grace’s. "The Dragon King is my monster."
The gesture snapped Grace out of the moment. She let go of Liam’s hand, embarrassment taking over her, turning to hide her blush and the smile that wouldn’t leave her face. Liam was right. That wasn’t the time to flirt.
"I told you already," Grace exclaimed, taking a few steps away. "The King has his throne. I have my life."
Liam frowned. He appreciated that reply, but Grace was being too casual about such a huge matter.
"I’m the one the Bloodline Screening has been about?" Liam said, feeling awkward to have to explain such a point. "The fated enemy of the Dragon? The greatest criminal in the Kingdom?"
"So?" Grace wondered, peeking past her shoulder to show her unimpressed face. "We still have to make money together forever and ever."
"Didn’t you tell me not to destroy our possible clients?" Liam asked in disbelief. "The Kingdom is all the possible clients."
"There’s plenty of money to be made from wars," Grace crossed her arms. "Now that I know, I can prepare to monetize them."
Liam’s mouth remained open, but nothing came out. His biggest secret, the thing that he had been wary of since awakening his dantian, the reason behind his sudden departure from the Pale Moon Sect, a piece of information so massive it could move the entire Kingdom, was in the open, but nothing changed for Grace.
"Still," Grace continued, looking away, not hesitating to exploit that opportunity to fix something that had annoyed her in the past. "Since you have already shared this much, you should share everything else. It’s for our mutual benefit for me to know all about you."
Grace feigned ignorance about that obvious ploy. Liam even smelled something that almost triggered a chuckle. Still, he didn’t mind. At that point, he might as well come clean about everything. Part of him even wanted to.
But there was something Liam hadn’t forgotten, and that he mentioned first. "Can you tell me what you learned first? I left in a hurry and never dared to look for information."
"Master William, what is it?" Grace teased, turning to face Liam. "Are you worried that someone as smart as your dear, inseparable partner might have figured you out?"
"I left Master," Liam revealed, diverting his gaze in guilt, "And my lover, and the situation was-!"
Liam’s survival instincts suddenly rang the alarms. A chill ran down his spine, snapping his gaze back to Grace. Her face had turned cold, her beautiful, now emotionless green eyes having transformed into deadly weapons.
"Your what?" Grace asked, her tone clearly a threat, her shyness vanishing completely, replaced by pristine, boundless greed.