Michael was born in Elowen to a working class family. His father was a carpenter who supported the local Transportation Guild, and Michael began working alongside him at six. He showed considerable promise until a falling timber crushed his father’s arm. He had loved working in the shop beside his dad, but Michael really wanted to see the world.
His mother had five children to provide for, Michael being the eldest. After the accident, she apprenticed him to the Security Guild, which he welcomed as a way to contribute to his family. He began his training in Elmsdover and was sent to Maadigan for advanced instruction when he turned sixteen. He displayed competence but not brilliance during his training.
After finishing his studies in Maadigan, Michael was attached to the Transportation Guild in Solading. About five years before the events of The Weight of Small Betrayals, he was assigned to escort Hile during a meeting there. Hile was sufficiently impressed to request his services, and the Security Guild permanently reassigned Michael to Eslading. He has been a valued member of Hile’s security team ever since.