Hey bikermouse I enjoyed your story, was waiting for the sequel. Mercedes Lackey..ummm fantasy. Started with the heralds of Vlademar series which were very simplistic and juvenile, then they got more involved, ended up with the returning echo of a mage storm which could devastate their known world. Hence they need help from any quarter, including the goddess. Lots of books, nice light reading if you are into fantasy.

The greatest part of wisdom is learning to develop  the ineffable genius of extracting the "neither here nor there" out of any situation...."