The dinner party turned out to be more of a laidback potluck with a movie marathon going on in the background. It reminded me of the kinds of gatherings the Society would hold all of the time, both officially and casually. There were only half a dozen people there, none of whom I knew, but they were a friendly enough bunch, especially once they learned we were part of the Society.

“What exactly is the Society? It sounds so mysterious.” Lark commented. He and his partner were of the Druid variety, some who carried the affinity for nature in their blood and others who chose to pursue a life in harmony with the world around them. Lovely people to spend an evening with, though I did have to warn Maguire away from the brownies.

“We are a group of misfits who are good at solving problems, and we can be found all over. We have a knack for hiding in plain sight and subverting people’s expectations, but last year was a bit of an odd one. Hopefully you’ll be able to see more of us soon.”

“I look forward to that,” Kiandra said, stepping into our conversation. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a Jack before. At least, not a Jack-Jack. I did have a neighbor named Jack, once.”

From what I could tell, she and the rest of the people at the party were hedge witches. What their specific interest was, I couldn’t guess, but they were friendly and they had excellent taste in music.

“Fun fact, I don’t think we have any people named Jack in the Society. We have a few Jacobs and some Jacquilines, but no Jacks,” I commented.

“Seriously?” Maguire asked. I gave him a look over the rim of my drink, using the cup to cover my grin. From the look on Kiandra’s face, she saw straight through my little joke, but a few of the others looked like they might actually believe it.

“So, what about the rest of you? What's your community like?” I asked. The conversation shifted quickly and we eventually migrated into another room. We were in Kiandra’s house, though I got the impression Lark regularly crashed on the couch.

I sat back and let Maguire take the lead on the conversation, chipping in whenever he seemed a little lost. One of the witches, a girl named Crystal, kept looking at me like she wanted to say something, so between the first and second movies I decided to step outside for a moment. She followed a few steps behind me, claiming she left something in her car.

“Do you have a question about the Society or about the Jacks?” I asked once we were both outside.

“Not exactly it's just…I have some friends in the Society, and I haven’t heard from them in a while. Something’s going on, isn’t it?”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“Nothing to be immediately worried about, though it's best to keep an eye out for any strange patterns appearing. Much as I wish I could say this could be nothing, I think we both know it's rarely something so simple.”

“I think you're right, and I think I may be able to help. Not right now, of course, but later on. There's going to be a party sometime this summer, filled with all sorts of interesting people. It's invite only, but if you want I can find a way to get you in.”

“That certainly sounds interesting. What sort of party is it?”

“One that you won't want to miss.”

“I would appreciate an invite then, if you're able to land one. If you can get me a plus one for my friend, I'll owe you an extra favor. I am good at solving problems involving magic and enchantments. I'll be happy to solve one in trade, fitting within the scope of what I can handle. If I can't fix it, I'll help you find someone who can and we can renegotiate the favor as needed. Does this sound fair?”

“It does, and I hope we can become friends somewhere along the line.”

“I tend to consider everyone I've made a deal with as a friend, unless the deal is made in bad faith. So, what do you say? Are we friends?” I held out my hand for her to shake.

“Friends,” she said, shaking my hand with a glint of mischief and pride in her eyes. I felt something gently shift as we shook, sealing the deal and forging a bit of a bond between us both.

We went back inside soon after and Maguire sent me a questioning look. I shook my head once, mouthing ‘later’. He nodded and we settled once more back into the movie night. There was more conversation between and on top of the movies, along with drinks and snacks being passed around the slightly crowded living room.

Once the final movie was done, Maguire and I said our goodbyes and headed back to the safehouse. We drove in silence that short distance and, while I could sense him wanting to say something, he didn't speak until the door closed behind us.

“Whatever is going on, I don't think it's impacting just the Society,” he said.

“Considering how many connections the Society has with the rest of the world, that's not too surprising,” I admitted, tossing the keys onto the kitchen counter on my way to the living room. “It is a little concerning, though. I've been so focused on figuring out the what and the how, I haven't been able to start figuring out the why. I have theories, of course, but nothing conclusive.”

“Did your new friend have any insights?”

“In a way. Not so much an answer as a chance to get some, though it's more of a long term opportunity than something that is immediately helpful. Still, it was a good connection to make.”

“I’m glad to hear it, whatever it ends up being. That was pretty fun.”

“It really was. I have to remind myself every so often that sometimes the best thing to do when you’ve been working away at something is to take a step back and connect with the people around you. Either it’ll give you the space you need to find a new perspective or you’ll find something you didn’t know you needed, but at the end of the day, we all need to get out of our heads sometime.”

“That is true. So, what’s next?”

“I think a good nights sleep is in order, then tomorrow, we go hunting for our next Jack.”