“I don’t know.” I popped a fist under my chin and leaned forward. Pinching a piece of the blackened food between my thumb and pointer finger, the substance turned to powder. “Berry may have a point.”
Guruk made a sound that was mostly a grumble but had laughter hiding inside it.
I leaned into his arm and let myself soak in the moment. My orc’s warmth and his woodsy campfire scent permeated through me. His hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to his side. The florin climbed off the meal on the side table to rest by our feet. The morning light slanted through the windows, and a fresh morning breeze fluttered the curtains.
“If we could just find my friends,” I sighed and ducked my chin, burrowing into his chest, “everything would be perfect.”
“I know, my love.” Guruk lifted me with ease, cradling my body against his chest, and settling into the beanbag chair with me in his lap. “I swear we will find them.”
Cuddling into his minty-green chest, I wrapped my arms around his waist. “It’s all my fault.”
“Shhh,” he said, his thick fingers combing through my hair in a soothing gesture, “do not do that to yourself.”
“I wished them here.” The sob I’d been holding back bubbled up once more.
He tilted my chin up. “And is our world so bad?”
I sniffed. “No. You know it’s not.”
“And you are happy, yes?” A slight cloud of doubt darkened his bright eyes.
I jumped from his lap to spin around and take his hands in mine. “Of course, I am.”
“You have found your place here? Your tabletop game nights, your helping me with the animals, working the farm…our life together?” My orc dipped his head as if unsure what my answer would be.
How could he not know? “Guruk,” I began, making sure my every word would be clear. Not leaving any room for misunderstanding. “I love you. You are my world.” I kissed my big softy on his cheek. “Everything about Havenlore is amazing. The people, the village, the magic.” I smiled, recalling my first time seeing the quaint town and introducing its inhabitants to tabletop gaming. They took to it as if they’d been born to play. “My life is wonderful. I miss my world from time-to-time, but I wouldn’t change the path that brought me here…that brought me to you.”
His hands tightened on my waist, drawing me in. His woodsy scent enveloped me like a warm, soothing blanket. When his lips found mine, I melted. My orc often ignited a fire inside me with just a look, but this was different. He poured all his feelings into the kiss. I could feel his hope, his desire, even a hint of desperation, but most of all his deep love. I moaned at the sensations flowing through me.
Before the kiss turned into a prelude of more, Berry let loose a series of long, loud chitters.
Guruk and I pulled apart and turned to the florin. Berry had gone still, their face to the window. Their three pink tails lifted and fanned wide, a sign that they were sensing a message. It was as if a picture or impression traveled to them across the space between realms.
“Berry?” I took a step toward them.
They spun fast. Berry’s eyes rounded, black, wide, and currently doing their best impression of a horror movie doll.
Okay, that got my attention.
Their paws started moving, and it wasn’t the usual cute hand-flappy chittering I’d gotten used to. This was sharp. Deliberate. I caught one word out of the gestures immediately: east. Then again. East, east, east, like Berry was a tiny pink compass having a crisis.
“East,” I repeated, half question, half just needing to hear it out loud.
Berry didn’t stop. Both paws shot up as if to say,wait, hold on.One paw pressed to their own chest. A single pat, and then they pointed straight at me.
Someone like you.
My stomach dropped somewhere around my socks.
“East,” I said slowly as the thoughts formed, catching Berry’s projected images and feelings. “There’s someone east of the village. Someone like me. Someone human?”
Berry chirped, sharp and certain.
I sucked in a breath. “More than one?”
A pause. A smaller gesture.Unclear. Maybe.
I was already moving before I’d fully decided to. I grabbed a notebook and pen from the hidden pocket in my beanbag chair. Guruk had created it for me when I’d told him I needed a place for my “tools.” Since settling into Havenlore I’d started keeping notebooks and pens everywhere, old habits from campaign planning—and being without my laptop. I flipped to a clean page.
