“Anything exciting?” Bo asked him.
“We’re doing more studies on the portal in the woods. Since they fired one of the guards, things have been much smoother. Seems he wasn’t really watching the portal most of the day so we’re still trying to account for anyone who may have crossed through without going to the institute.”
“I would not have known this either if Einar had not told me,” Gunnar said.
“You never did tell us what happened that day we saw you. We know a human entered the monster realm before you did a while later, but he has never returned. Do you know what happened?” Ricky asked, but not in an accusatory way. He was a scientist and wanted to know more out of curiosity and for research purposes.
Gunnar glanced at my parents before telling them how he’d gone hunting for Vince in the monster realm and how he’d gotten help from a leshy he’d met in their village. “But before I could catch him, Einar did. He won’t be bothering anyone in either world again,” Gunnar said.
“He must have been using that portal for a while before we discovered it,” Ricky said, saying the same thing we thought at the time.
“Yes, he had quite an illegal operation going on. I don’t know where he found the blade he was using though,” Gunnar said. We’d tried a few times to find out more about the deadly blade he’d recovered that day, but neither of us were able to find out anything. As long as it was hidden away it was no danger to anyone, and we both would make sure it was lost forever.
“Humans want to use different parts of the monster world without fully understanding what they’re doing and how much risk there is. But I am glad to know that everything turned out okay,” Ricky said.
Gunnar and I nodded because we’d seen just that, and knew every word he said was true. But good things had come from monsters being allowed to enter our world and the gathering at this table was proof of it. Ricky and Jason said goodbye and left just as our food was delivered, and everyone went quiet while we ate. “I like this,” Gunnar said softly in my ear.
“The food?” I asked because he was not shy about saying if he didn’t like something.
“This,” he said and waved his big hand over the table. “Sitting here with my family and friends enjoying a good meal. This is all I ever dreamed of when I sat alone in my cave and dreamed of a life less lonely. Now my heart is full.”
My eyes prickled with emotion at his words. Gunnar was never one for speaking about feelings, but he was touched so deeplyhe felt the need to. “I’m happy,” I whispered. “You make me so fucking happy.”
He slipped his arm around me and pulled me close to his side. “I love you, mate.”
“I love you too.” And I always would.
