Harper put a hand on my chest and glared at the back of her lover as he walked farther away from us. “He had no fucking right to say that. I’m sorry, Finn, I don’t know why he’s acting like this,” she muttered angrily.

  “No… he’s right about people dying to protect me. But I don’t think that will be as much of an issue anymore,” I replied bitterly.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “I made a decision not to hold back on those who would try and stop me from finishing this quest. Those kobolds I killed were people. And I don’t like killing, but if anyone gets in my way of getting everyone back home, I will kill them.” I said.

  A small, questioning chirp sounded at my feet. The baby dragon looked up with what I could only parse as concern. I crouched down and smiled at the small creature. “It’s okay, little guy. No one is going to hurt you if I have anything to say about it,” I said, comforting it.

  It growled indignantly, pulling its head back.

  “Um, what did I say?” I asked, confused. It took me a moment, but it suddenly made sense. “Oh, are you a girl dragon, then?” I asked. She looked mollified and nuzzled against me. “Okay, girl, I got you.” I went ahead and gave her head a rub, and she leaned into it before climbing up on my shoulders. She was warm, but not horribly so, and lighter than I expected. This, I decided, is not what I predicted. But I can live with raising a dragon for a bit.

  Harper looked at me uncertainly as I stood up, the little dragon draped around my neck like a stole. “Finn… I don’t agree with Jerseil or his actions, but is this the best attitude? I’m worried that you’re going down a dark path.”

  “You know, I’m beginning to think that ship sailed when my dad died. I just didn’t realize it until I had been here in this world for a while. I was very angry when he passed. At him, the doctors, God, even my mom. With him gone, Mom buried herself in work, leaving me to deal with everything at home. I had to give up my life just to keep my brother and mom from falling apart,” I replied softly.

  “And you know what? I really never had time to deal with my shit. And it kept getting worse. Hell, Harper, I haven’t really had a chance to deal with this place! And then Juan died! Fuck!” I shouted, my emotions overflowing. The little dragon nuzzled the side of my face, trying to comfort me. The stubble on my face itched, having gotten a little long again. I hadn’t even looked at myself or thought much about my appearance for some time, and it was just another thing. I patted the small creature.

  “All this time, my head has been in a weird place.” I said, looking at the floor. “I’m not paying attention to everything that I should. Nor have I been very proactive—just going with the flow. But now I’m thinking about things more clearly, and I can see that I have more than a little capacity to be violent. And a couple of months ago, that fact would have been horrifying to me. But now? Violence is a tool. One to get me, and everyone else, home. I can’t pull my punches, Harper. Jerseil is my friend, but he crossed a line with me. Heck, with all of us from Earth. If he does it again…” I trailed off. It didn’t need to be said.

  Harper looked at me sadly. “I understand. But, Finn, please be careful not to do something you’ll regret, okay? We don’t know where this desire to kill the dragon or up your levels is coming from. I’m sure that there is something he is not telling us. Maybe it’s a good reason, or at least something we can work with,” she pleaded.

  I searched her face for a moment, trying to get a good read. “Alright, but you need to talk with him. I can’t right now,” I stated.

  “No shit. I’ll catch up to him and see if we can make this work,” Harper agreed.

  The baby dragon, who needed a name, had some sort of innate telepathy. At first, she just brushed up against my mind. It was gentle pressure that wasn’t unpleasant. Before we got back to where we had left our kobold friend sleeping, the pressure was constantly there. A presence in my head that I couldn’t quite understand. But it was her. There was no denying the sensation of the hatchling’s mental touch.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  She seemed to nap while I walked, trailing a suitable distance behind Harper and Jerseil. I couldn’t hear them, but I could see Jerseil’s angry gesticulations and Harper’s firm gestures in response. I was not sure that their relationship would survive this, but I found it mattered little to me. That was their concern, not mine. Jerseil had made himself problematic, and though it saddened me to lose a friend, my path forward and conscience were clear.

  My passenger made what sounded like a contented noise and continued to sleep. It was strange, like getting used to a new pet or person in your space. I stayed in the middle of the hall-like tunnel, glancing at the treasures in the rooms we passed. It was a sad thing to leave all of it behind, despite the trap issue, but all good things and everything that went along with that. I was a little perturbed about why the Voice had said nothing, seeing as I had completed the quest.

  “Hey, Voice. I found the beast. Isn’t the quest completed? Could I get an update or something?” I said quietly. But there was no answer from the Voice. There must be something I’m missing. Likely, it was coming up with more ways to insult my intelligence and abilities. I thought about the wording of the quest, and nothing jumped out at me. The only pertinent piece of it was that I had to track the beast. That was not enough to go on.

  Harper and a very dour Jerseil awaited me at the magical barrier that looked and felt as solid as the wall it was mimicking.

  “Can’t get through without me, huh? Alright, grab on,” I said, holding out my arms. Jerseil hesitated at first, like he wasn’t going to. But he grabbed my free arm anyways. We walked through and were met by the sight of a very anxious Druzzik. Jerseil pushed my arm away and went to the other side of the chamber, his face still dark with anger and frustration.

  “You gone, through wall?” he asked incredulously. “Why me not know?”

  “We decided to let you sleep, Druzzik,” said Harper gently. “You really needed it after all we went through.”

  Druzzik nodded slowly. “Sleep needed. Find anything?” he asked.

  I laughed, waking the slumbering dragon draped around my shoulders. “Yes, Druzzik. I would definitely say we found something. Or should I say a small someone?” I said as the hatchling nuzzled my face. I got the feeling it was hungry and pulled out a travel biscuit. And lifted it up to the now alert creature, who grabbed it with her front paws. They seemed more like hands the way she held the biscuit, biting into it fiercely. “Druzzik, how’d you like to meet the daughter of your Great Dragon?”

  Druzzik gasped, finally noticing the hatchling devouring the biscuit as if she was starving. Stunned, he fell to his knees, tears poured from his eyes, and he too laughed. “Friend Finn! You found hatchling! Quests won. Can go home. Why Hatchling ride Finn?”

  I smiled sadly. “I kind of saved her life. And she likes me. I don’t mind carrying her around. She’s light and has been without food for who knows how long.”

  The little dragon made a little chirping sound while looking at Druzzik, who smiled back at her. Then she nuzzled me again, and I pulled out another biscuit for her. She took it politely and ate it more slowly than the first.

  Jerseil looked like he was about to say something, but a glare from Harper stopped him. He muttered something under his breath and sat down, staring angrily at the nest in the middle of the chamber.

  “Finn big protector. Must stay with hatchling,” Druzzik stated decisively. “We hurry. Must get home.” The kobold carefully packed the hatchling’s shell in his knapsack and settled it on his back. He looked over at Jerseil, cocking his head to the left. “Friend Jerseil, why angry?”

  Jerseil looked up at him, his jaw clenching. “Finn and I are in disagreement as to how to proceed. I am not going to say anything further about it.”

  “Friends no fight,” Druzzik replied. He shook his head sadly and looked to me.

  “I’m ready to go. I don’t relish the idea of going back through the Mole People’s territory, but it’s the only way to get back out. Druzzik, will the Cinderclaws give us any trouble about the hatchling? Or will any of the other tribes?”

  The kobold thought for a moment. “No trouble. Will want spread word. All tribes. Same,” he said firmly.

  “So they’ll just let us pass with a baby dragon?” Harper asked. “Without trying to take her?”

  “Dragon not property. Dragon go where dragon want,” Druzzik said with a shrug. “Hatchling want go with Finn? Hatchling go with Finn.”

  This was good news for us, seeing as I had to take her to some frozen night place or a literal knight. Not to mention, I was already growing attached to the adorable creature. I scratched her under her chin, and she made an almost purring noise. “Oh, that’s the spot, isn’t it, little one?”

  Jerseil jumped to his feet, looking out towards the barrier. “Uh, hate to interrupt your dragon love fest, but we have a problem!” he said, all the broodiness gone from him, replaced with focus.

  I looked out and saw two Mole People pressing up against the shimmering barrier. Then, three more walked up. And then there was a crowd pressing against them, looking in at us.

  “That, my friends, will not be fun.”