Orc Wars 2 : Lazarus

Chapter 85 - Coming Clean

Aria studied Jace's troubled face speculatively. He had something to get off his chest and didn't know how to approach the subject. Hmmm, maybe if she provided an opening ...

"So, who are you that I am blatantly leeching off you?" Aria asked Jace playfully. "It's not like I can take your hard earned Gold in the Game unless you Gift it to me or buy me stuff." She smiled to inform him it was okay if he did not want to answer.

Ash stopped chewing immediately and tensed, his half eaten fries sticking out his mouth. "Huh?" he glanced at Jace.

"It's o'kay Ash," Jace assured his friend. "Time to come clean. Rose came by earlier and let the cat out of the bag ... not that I was purposely keeping the cat in the bag. It might have suffocated or something."

At that, Aria's eyebrows lifted in query at Jace's nonsensical ramblings as she reached for more delicious cheesy nachos. Ash rolled his eyes at his friend's gibberish. It was a sure sign that he was nervous. It was time to spill the beans.

"What are you talking about, cats and bags?" Lorenzo asked in mild curiosity. "You are not making any sense, my friend. Please pass the ketchup, Chloe."

"She still doesn't know, does she?" He shifted his attention to Aria. "Do you?" Ash asked the petite goth girl.

"Know what?"

"That he is rich."

"I know that."

"You do?"

"Of course. Look at all the gear and clothes Laz has. One needs a lot of Gold for all that awesome equipment. Have you seen his beautiful new silver bow, it's an OP (over powered) weapon for sure. I think his city is also completely rebuilt and producing at top rate again. I'm on my way to being rich too," she added smugly.

"I'm not talking about the Game. I'm talking about him." Ash jerked a thumb at Jace.

"Him?" She looked questioningly at Jace than back at Ash. "I'm sorry but we all know where he lives ..." she glanced at Jace, thinking of his tiny shoebox studio, "not that I'm looking down on you or anything. It's a really cosy place. A little bare but conveniently near school, that's what is important."

"Gah, you tell her," Ash said giving up.

"I'm ... Jonathan Carter," Jace stated slowly gauging her reaction.

"I know, Jace. And I've met your mom and your sister."

"You haven't met my dad, Grayson Carter."

Aria looked blankly at him and shrugged. "Who is he? Are you supposed to be famous or something, a celebrity perhaps?" she laughed slightly embarrassed at her ignorance. "Sorry, I really don't know. You are just Jace to me, also known as Lazarus the Assassin and Legendary Gatekeeper."

"Just Jace? Just Jace?" Ash echoed uncomprehendingly. "Oh my God. I'm seriously dying here."

"She is from out of town," Jace reminded Ash solemnly. "She wouldn't know." Then he blinked and gave a genuine smile as something dawned on him. Exactly. She wouldn't know who he was.

Lorenzo and Choe were reacting better than Aria. They had stopped eating and were both staring at Jace open-mouthed.

"Grayson Carter? Oh wow. Are you telling us that you are the Jonathan Carter, Grayson Carter's son? As in the Carters? As in the heir to the Grayson empire?" Chloe mouthed in awe.

"Yeah," Jace looked away, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Aiyayayai, you are rich! Really, really, really rich. You should have told meeeeee. So, you can afford to pay for this meal and the next and the next. Ah, this is good, very, veerrry good. Now that I know, there is no more escaping, yes?" Lorenzo announce happily and continued eating. "No need to bug stingy Ash from now on."