I sat outside the house of the head of the Emberveil tribe the next morning, sipping my cup of hangover tea. Not only did I find out that I could fit a couple of barrels of the IPA-like beer into my backpack thanks to the unique rules of this world, but I also drank several mugs more than I should have. In my defense, the kobolds had me tell the story of finding the baby dragon, who was curled up in my lap, ten or eleven times. Each time, they kept me topped off so that I wouldn’t have to take a break to get a drink. They had even brought me a tapped barrel.

  And it’s strong, this kobold IPA. I don’t know how to brew beer, but maybe I should get the recipe. I was willing to bet a fantasy-themed line of IPAs would do well at home. The tea did its magic, and I no longer felt like warmed-up death. My lap dragon stirred a little, but she didn’t move. It was odd how cat-like she was at times, for looking like a more pleasing combination of lizard and bird.

  It reminded me of a story Dad had read to a younger me and Sean about a dragon that had turned into a cat after being tricked into eating bread pieces in milk by a little girl. If I remembered correctly, the difference between cats and dragons was just their respective diets. Whether this was a parallel, I didn’t know. But it was an interesting post-hangover thought.

  I looked down at the hatchling, her prismatic scales sparkling in the ambient light from gathered fluorescent fungi and magical lamps, and wondered at what I had gotten myself into. Well, what I had been conscripted into. I couldn’t deny that I had chosen to take on this quest and had taken it upon myself to save this adorable little dragon. What I had a problem with was that I hadn’t chosen to come here, to this world that’s name has never been brought up.

  And I wouldn’t have come if I had known the stakes. So many people had been taken from Earth over the centuries without a chance of getting home. Even worse, there was a POS demon corrupting the very people that had access to the quest to get home: Mages.

  I’d like to think that I would have come. As far as I knew, most of the stranded people were from my country. And even if they weren’t, wouldn’t it still be my duty to help them? I mean, isn’t that what I wanted to do? Help and protect the people of my country, and others, if I could? I was beginning to wonder about whether I wanted to be a federal worker, though. Not that it was something that truly mattered in the here and now.

  Today, we would leave the caverns. I didn’t want to waste any more time sitting still, not when I was on track. I just didn’t know what the next step was.

  “Friend Finn! Good sleep?” asked an extremely cheerful Druzzik.

  “I did, but the waking was horrible,” I replied with a smile. “Your village brews some strong beer. I wouldn’t mind the recipe if you can swing it.”

  “Finn brew beer? Finn have recipe. Can do,” he said. He patted the crown thing on his head. “Me back, but weird. Gave up position. Now have again.”

  “I don’t have a clue of what that feels like, bud, so I don’t have any advice on that. But I have to ask, does this mean you are going to stay here?” I asked. “If not, you’re welcome to come with us!”

  His face fell a little before smiling. “Have to stay. Uncle old. Druzzik next Emberlord. Must serve tribe,” he said and looked out past the village wistfully towards where the exit to the surface was. “Would like more adventure. With Finn. With Harper, Jerseil. And Child of Great Dragon. But obligations, Finn.”

  I nodded in understanding. I knew about family obligations. “And we have to leave today. I don’t know why the quest to find this napping hatchling isn’t completed yet, but I need to keep moving forward. I wish you could come with us, but I understand. Family is important and you just got back. I’m really glad I was able to help with that.”

  From my lap, the hatchling chirped and jumped up to greet Druzzik. The kobold smiled wide and reached out to pet the baby dragon. She stretched her body and wings as he stroked the back of her head.

  “Druzzik await return of Finn and Child. Know her name, Finn?”

  “Nah, I feel like I should. She wouldn’t let me use my Mind Read spell, either. Acted like it would not be a good idea,” I said. The little dragon cheeped in agreement. “Do dragons talk when they are grown? Or do they use some sort of telepathy?”

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  Druzzik looked puzzled. “Dragons speak, yes. What telepathy?”

  “Oh, that’s mental communication, one mind to another. Like my Mind Read spell, only both ways,” I answered.

  “New word. Druzzik like. Think so. Not sure. Ask Uncle,” he replied thoughtfully. “Be back.”

  I watched my kobold friend go looking for his uncle. The older kobold might know the answers to my questions. If he did, then I would be better prepared to take care of her while completing the riddle that the baby dragon and I were inexorably linked to.

  The old kobold followed his nephew out of his house. He looked tired, and he had earned it by staying up most of the night. But his face brightened at the sight of the baby dragon standing on my lap with her forepaws on my chest. She chirped happily at the Emberlord.

  “Finn dragon questions? Share what I know,” he stated.

  “Well, I was wondering if dragons can talk to a person in their head. And when they usually start speaking, if you know,” I asked.

  “Hmm. Dragons talk mind to mind. Sometimes with non-dragons. Great dragon could. Not know when speak,” the elder kobold stated. “Other questions?”

  I thought about it for a moment. “How long will it take for her to grow up? If she gets too big, I won’t be able to afford her food.”

  Both Druzzik and his uncle burst into laughter, the younger sitting down. The elder, tears streaming, struggled to get his breath. He finally held his hands far apart, and at my look of confusion, laughed harder. The little dragon looked back and forth between the two of them, making unsure sounds like she wanted to ask what was so funny.

  “It’s… It’s not fast. Dragons need many years!” Druzzik said, and laughed so hard he barely could get it out.

  “Dragons live long lives,” his uncle added and guffawed.

  It hit me then that this was a well-known thing here, something that hadn’t gotten garbled. Or even changed out of ignorance after their Great Dragon disappeared. It made me wonder how long kobolds and any other creatures or people related to dragons lived. What had Juan called them — wyrms? That didn’t really apply, but naming things was not my job.

  I waited for them to find their equilibrium. “There’s another thing. When we first found her, she touched my mind. And she’s been there ever since.”

  Druzzik looked uncomfortable, while his uncle looked thoughtful. “Hatchlings bond. Not just to mother. You protector, make sense,” he said. “Not kobold, odd. Not bad. Hatchling need someone. Be patient. She chose you. She stay with you.”

  “Wait, I have to be her surrogate parent for, what, the rest of my life?” I asked. “Not that I’m opposed to it. That’s just a lot of responsibility for someone trying to get back to their world. What if she’s not ready to be on her own?”

  The aged Emberlord shook his head. “Don’t know, Finn. You must understand, never happen this. Not with human. Not known.” He shrugged and stepped closer, putting his clawed hand on my head. “Finn always welcome. If find answers, return. Share. Stay long, stay short. This Finn’s home now. Finn Emberveil.”

  Then the old kobold pulled me to my feet and hugged me with the hatchling in my arms. I was shocked. Had I just been adopted into the kobold tribe? Without knowing what all that entailed, I hugged the old kobold back. Druzzik gave me a hug as well.

  “Finn brother! Now must visit!” he said with a grin. Then, my friend became somber as a realization hit him. “But not have gift. Can’t not have gift. Don’t leave.” Druzzik ran back into the house.

  “Oh,” I said, pulling the rubbing out of my pack. “There was this writing in the clutch cave. None of us could read it, but Druzzik thought you might be able to.”

  The old kobold frowned as he took the rubbings from me, looking them over. “Hmm. Nephew right. Can read this. But translation take months. Old tongue, words many meanings. Maybe done when Finn visit.”

  I smiled. “Emberlord, wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”

  The village all turned out to see us off, wishing us good luck and admonishing us to bring the hatchling back to visit. It almost went without saying that we were welcome, too. There was talk that the tribes would talk peace, a side effect of my little charge’s very existence. The brewer was there, having refused to give me the recipe. My spirits, temporarily lowered, rose with her offer to teach me the next time I visited.

  As we walked up the tunnel, I fiddled with the extravagant gift Druzzik had given me. The thick gold chain was long and hung to my sternum with a medallion on the end. He had told me it had passed down from generation to generation and had a stylized dragon carved into it. As his “brother,” I had to take it. Something to do with tradition and being the younger brother.

  The strange thing was, it felt good. Though I already had a family back on Earth, now I had another. Scaly and they talked differently, but still. There was something nice about having the support and a place I could call home in this world, even if it was underground. It struck me that the feeling of anxiety about being underground was totally gone. I doubted it would ever be a thing again. It was my home now.

  And I had no idea how much I needed a place to call home until it was there. A rush of emotions threatened to overwhelm me as we approached the ever-brightening entrance into the home of the kobolds. I smiled.

  My new place to call home.