Adalbert was a critic of the Chantry and its control over the Circles from a young age, and his arguments were influential in Van's decision to break with his own religious upbringing (though he charged Adalbert's robe drawer with incurable static cling for shit-talking Myr's Chant-discussion group.)

They became friendly enough as teenagers, and shared an exceedingly awkward first kiss before Adalbert's family managed to piss off the Hasmali government enough that the Circle authorities decided everyone would be better off if he were elsewhere and transferred him to Markham.