Chapter 20

"What did you end up doing?" he asked suddenly, changing the subject.

I returned his small smile with a weaker one of my own. "I studied parapsychology and cryptozoologist."

Erik's mouth dropped then he tossed his head back, laughing heartedly. "I can't believe Mom and Dad let you do that!"

"They were… unhappy to say the least," I replied honestly. "I'm sure that they think that I'm insane. However, we haven't spoken in many years until I came back to the portal. The one night I stayed, they pointedly ignored me."

Erik's eyebrows raised, and he frowned in disapproval. "I can't believe our parents would treat you like that."

"You know that we've never seen eye to eye. They never treated me the same as they did you. I was always the biggest disappointment. With you gone, I was the only child they had left to carry on the proud Corliss legacy. However, I failed to do so because I would rather chase monsters, ghosts, and UFOs rather than settle into a 'proper' job," I explained.

"That's