Adam was in his office frowning at nothing. Nothing had been able to hold his focus for days. Usually he could get lost in a project. Sect work, translations, something. Even reviewing and denying the requests from the crotchety scholars that had spurned his attempts to join the world of academia weren’t holding his attention. Instead his thoughts wandered back to the same problem he had contemplated all week. It started when he realized he almost always woke a moment before his alarm went off. A few days ago he had sprinted from their outdoor training pavilion to his office and realized he was barely breathing heavily. Which led him to notice that the wrist and elbow aches he had developed first as a scribe, then a store clerk, were mostly absent these days. The day after that, the younger sect students had all passed the history exam he’d set them. Then Martin treated him to a string concert and dessert at a new bakery in the trendy art district he liked so much. The unsettling feeling had grown until today when he couldn’t think about anything else. Focusing on the problem all afternoon forced him to an uncomfortable conclusion. Adam had a sneaking suspicion that he was deeply content. He was unsure what to do with that fact.

  Adam had always been a grump. Even unpleasant or prickly if his grandmother was to be believed. When he was a child he made excuses. Of course he was a bit difficult, he lived in the stars-cursed flats with a grandmother as mean as a whip. The old shrew knew her way around a switch and wasn’t afraid to prove it. As a teen he turned that into motivation. Study a bit harder, earn a scholarship, then he won’t be so miserable. It worked. He got the university scholarship, a place in the guild and everything he had wanted. But by that point, he was so used to being unpleasant to everyone that it was difficult to stop. If he reflected on it – something he was very rarely in the mood to do– that had been one of the causes of his troubles. Nepotism and playing favorites were part of the guild. His focus on that to the exclusion of all us had made it hard for him to integrate with the others. Made him harsher and snappier until the final incident. Yes that lordling was out of line, but his own attitude led him down the path.

  The sect had been different. Laurel was impossible to phase, not that he had tried very hard when it turned out she could shoot lightning from her hand. And inexplicably, she had decided Adam’s attitude was more amusing than anything else. Annette was a good friend as well, growing up with a taciturn brother meaning she gave as good as she got. Then Leander wandered in. Maybe that had been the turning point. When he truly committed and stopped looking for everything to go wrong. Martin was….well Martin was still a bit of a mystery, Adam wasn’t sure why the man kept seeking him out. But for the first time he could remember, Adam was optimistic for the future. The sect would be different, he would make sure of it.

  He stood and walked out of the library. There was no more work getting done today so a walk sounded like a good way to clear his head. At least it wasn’t frigid outside anymore now that spring was no longer just a hope on the horizon. A brush of mana set the advanced alarms as he passed through the edge of his domain. The building was almost unrecognizable to the gray box they had moved into last year. Annette had turned it into a residence and workplace that would rival any noble’s manor. He assumed. He hadn’t been inside one but the point was it looked nice. Laughter echoed from whatever corner the students had found their way into. Savory aromas drifted up from the kitchens, causing Adam’s stomach to gurgle in protest of his skipped lunch. Wall art or plants decorated the most used areas, adding bright colors and cheer to the dull backdrop. He drifted towards the front door, dodging Lucy and James as they careened around a corner. He was nearing the top of the stairs leading to the main entryway when he heard the shouting.

  “We’re back!”

  Adam hustled faster. When the door came into view he saw the kids that had left on their recruiting trip. Gabrielle and Helene were still well put together, not betraying a sign of the cross-country journey they had undertaken. Annette would be pleased. The boys were looking ragged but he hadn’t really expected anything different. Cooper even had the patchy beginnings of a beard. Before he could even get out a “welcome home”, a yell and the drumming of little feet cut him off.

  “Errriiiiiccccc!” James sprinted down the stairs and launched himself at his older brother, who returned the embrace with enthusiasm. “How was the trip what did you find what’s on Coop’s face did you do good magic–”

  The boy would have continued for another minute, Adam was fully aware, if his brother didn’t cut him off. “It was lots of fun, we found a witch school and some other groups around the villages, he’s been trying to grow a beard for the last few weeks, and only the basics really.”

  “I succeeded in the beard, thank you very much. And we’ll be happy to share some stories, but can we do it over dinner? Whatever Esther’s making smells amazing.”

  The rest of the sect had already found their way into the foyer, and Cooper’s words sent everyone scurrying into the dining hall.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Oh that reminds me. Esther, we picked this up for you in Nordisk.” Helene pulled out a soft red fur Adam recognized as from one of the foxes that lived in the northern reach the girls had gone adventuring in. “We have presents for everyone!”

  Adam spied Cooper and Eric making frantic eye contact as he followed them to dinner. He chuckled as the lads hissed about what they could turn into gifts, joining Martin at the top of the long dining table that dominated the room. The kids had taken to calling the north end the ‘grown-ups table’ since Adam, Annette, and Laurel joined him there when they could. Today Martin waited to start the meal, everyone quieting down when he stood to lift a goblet of wine.

  “To our conquering heroes! Congratulations on your first mission completed for the sect, we look forward to hearing all your adventures.” Martin took a swig of wine as everyone else joined in the toast, substituted with water or milk for the younger children.

  Noises of appreciation and conversation broke out along the table, everyone serving themselves the rice and duck dish with roasted winter squash that Esther had prepared. The sect was nearing three dozen now, and it was impossible to listen to all the stories the kids had told. But Adam was able to get a general idea of success from the snippets he picked up.

  Annette looked at him from across the table. “This is actually happening, we’re starting a new guild.”

  “We are.”

  “Why is that a big deal, didn’t you both already help start the first cultivation sect in the country?” Martin was lounging at the head of the table like a king. Or like a cultivator that could command the earth to move if he chose.

  “You don’t understand. A new guild in Merista means you’ve done something no one else has before. Your name goes in the history books. Of course I’m proud of the sect, but no one really knew what that was before us, so it was more like opening a new school.” Adam tried to convey the enormity of what they were doing but it was difficult to explain to someone who hadn’t grown up with the guilds.

  Martin turned his full attention on him then. “You’re quite passionate about this project aren’t you?”

  “I don’t think I’m ever going to be like you or Laurel, out there fighting monsters with magic. I’m not going to apprentice to Devon either and learn a craft. I’m a scholar, not a creator or a warrior. But this is something I can do. My way of defending the sect.”

  Martin absolutely beamed at Adam’s declaration. He felt a hint of red in his cheeks so he quickly turned back to the meal and a large gulp of wine.

  “The guilds are the cornerstone of Meristan commerce and culture. Do you think anyone turns Elisette down when she asks for a favor? Normal people don’t just get that kind of power handed to them.” Annette had a different take on the whole thing but she was right as well.

  “So you’re saying we’ll be establishing a new source of power. Will the King let us get away with that or are we looking at another trial?” Martin asked. “If so you’re waiting until Laurel gets back, I’m not sitting through one of those without punching someone. Really, the fact you kept her from killing anyone to get it over with is impressive on its own.”

  “We have a huge amount of goodwill built up right now after the leviathan in the fall. And Laskar upped tariffs against countries that are explicitly open to magic users last month. That will give us some leverage. Especially if Laurel comes back with a helpful magic seed or whatever they’re looking for. Or if you can get your enchanter friend to do something visible for the city.” The three of them had spent time strategizing, but now that they were closer to actually getting the job done, the strategizing could begin in earnest.

  “I’ll see what I can do about Devon. He might not be too interested in doing us favors while he’s still waiting for our help with his sect. But he’s also bored out of his mind by now and the man doesn’t handle that well.”

  Dinner wrapped up. Everyone not assigned to clean up thundered upstairs into the rotunda. Couches and chairs dragged across the stone. The returning sect members were ushered into the center, usually reserved for the officers. Tea brewed, they settled in for the stories of adventure.

  Cooper and Eric gave a straightforward recounting. They had gone to the school at Indell, trekking up a mountain to meet with the witches there. That story had some excitement, and Adam made note to tease out any cultivation techniques he could from this Madam Sabrina when she arrived. Afterwards they criss-crossed the backwoods areas in a rough loop to find local cultivators and make the pitch for a new guild. On some it worked and they had signed a formal letter of support. Others were naturally distrustful, but would come around when news of the guild spread. At least in theory.

  Helene and Gabrielle were altogether different. Adam stared open -mouthed as they described tales of adventure and heroism. Fights against beasts and bandits. A heartbreaking capture and daring escape. Local lords swearing life oaths and throwing lavish balls. When the story came to a close Cooper stepped forward.

  “Quite the story. Shockingly similar to The Adventures of the Moreau Company.”

  The two girls looked at each other and then burst out laughing. They were leaning against each other, doubled over and barely able to catch their breaths.

  “You’re right,” Gabrielle choked out. “But wouldn’t it have been so much better?”

  The whole sect joined in on the joke.

  “Maybe if our Loremaster over there ever read any fiction, we wouldn’t have gotten so far,” Helene said.

  Adam let out the expected grumbles at that. Internally he was planning a trip out to one of his favorite book stores to pick up a copy of the book Cooper had mentioned. Not his normal cup of tea but it really had been a good story. The kids handed their notes and letters off to Annette, and the sect broke apart into the usual evening groupings. Some were taking advantage of the free time to cultivate. A few had artwork or other projects out they could pretend to work on while chatting with others. Contentment bubbled up once more in Adam, this time he embraced it with a smile.