The Magus posting in Krogga was over, and Gregory and his many wives had finished it with the quiet days they’d all wanted. It’d been an odd five years that’d seen them embroiled in wars, assassinations, political incidents, and far more. The majority had come during their first two years, making things fraught during that time.

Good times came for them, too, even if some were attached to dangerous potentials. Claudia Firetongue, protégé of Archmage Aliminus, was brought to Krogga to become the new ambassador for Buldoun. That pulled her back into the circle of the Pettits, who acknowledged her as their secret, hidden wife. Alminus felt placated that they weren’t trying to court her, giving them the minimal freedom to love her the way they all wanted to.

Elsa Bommet, their longtime friend, came with Yukiko’s family to visit, too, with more of her odd past being revealed to both them and her. In the end, she stayed true to her dreams, wanting to stay and be their maid and maybe their little sister. That set her on the path of staying in Krogga with Verka to take care of the Warlin’s home and business, meaning she’d eventually be tested for aether outside of the official channels.

Time slipped away from all of them with the happiness they had, and before they blinked, their posting was over; now, it was time to return to the empire to be posted as their clan required. This trip would be their last time as a nearly-full family for decades or centuries, so they’d treasure each day to tide them over until they could steal moments together with their loved ones.

With so many freshly-minted master magi, wheels would begin to turn. Their rise in power—and the growing power of all Aether’s Guard’s younger generation—was causing waves in the empire and powerful clans. If Aether’s Guard assisted and made alliances to share their power, it would cause problems that might only be solved with blood and death.