The crackle of the hearth played harmony to Selena as she sang hymns. Her voice provided the backdrop to the conversations happening around the table. I sat to the right of my mom at the head of the table with Rebecca on my right. Her family occupied the rest of the large table with her mom opposite my own.

  After the Awakenings were over, all of us gathered back at our house for a celebratory dinner, a tradition we started once we discovered Rebecca was pregnant. Both our parents had said it was for the best that our families grew closer, and it wasn’t like I minded having them over. Their presence was a welcome break from the stillness that so commonly occupied our too large house.

  Tonight’s celebration was already in full swing, William had brought over a barrel of pear brandy he’d been saving and was well on his way to finishing it. Rebecca’s two elder brothers, who had brought their own families, came bearing the equarrel foals who’d starved from their litters this year.

  Equarrel foal was a delicacy, only being available once a year when Twin Oak’s herds gave birth. Unlike full grown equarrel, which were tough and full of muscle, equarrel foals had yet to develop the muscle required to carry their heavy frames, a feature that gave their meat a nice buttery texture. Pinera, mom’s other [Handmaiden], had already collected the foals and was in the out-kitchen getting dinner prepared.

  Rather than engage in any one conversation, I’d spent the evening thus far just sitting back in my chair and taking everything in. When I left, I’d be missing the next couple of dinners like this one, which was why I’d planned to spend my last just drinking in the atmosphere. The warmth, laughter, and community were all things I hadn’t realized I’d longed for until Rebecca’s family joined us and I was loath to give it up again.

  My melancholy broke, when a cup carved from equarrel tusk and filled to the brim with brandy slammed down onto the table in front of me, and an arm that could barely reach my opposite shoulder pulled me into a side hug.

  “That’s for you Bran.” William said, his voice refined and svelte in a way that only happened when he drank. “A newly awakened man should celebrate with brandy, not the swill that gets called ale around here.”

  “Thank you, but I’d like to remain sober, sir. Don’t want to wake up with a hangover.”

  “Nonsense boy,” William said with a grip only possible because of his higher Tier. “Its not often I break out the Ebrell. You’ll have some, won’t you?”

  I looked up into the eyes of the older man, who stared drunkenly down at me, a flinty anger hidden within his eyes.

  “I will, but I really shouldn’t have more than one, sir.”

  “Fine, fine.” William said, gaining a drunken smirk. “Kids these days don’t know how to have any fun.”

  “Leave him alone dad, you’re not even that old.” Rebecca said as she removed her dad’s hand from my shoulder.

  “Bah! ‘Not that old’, kids these days. No respect for their–“ Willam muttered and trailed off into grumbles as he wandered back to his seat and rejoined the conversation between his wife and eldest son.

  “Sorry about him. You know how he is when he gets into his cups.” Rebecca apologized and replaced her father’s hand on my shoulder.

  “Don’t worry about it.” I said, looking into her eyes. “I like your dad.”

  “I’m glad.” She said. “You’re doing a lot better.”

  Rebecca took my chin in a light grip and held eye contact with me. We shared a brief kiss and when we pulled back, I couldn’t help but notice how her hazel eyes sparkled in the dying sunlight and her smile lit up the room.

  “It’s nice to see your eyes again.”

  Wood creaked as the kitchen door opened and cut off my reply. Almost every head in the room snapped to it to watch as Pinera stepped through with a massive cast-iron pot held out just slightly away from her body, the bottom still tinged red from the heat of the fire. It still amazed me every time I saw her or Selena lift the damned thing; I’d tried to do so on multiple occasions and every time I’d failed. The pot weighed a little over five hundred pounds and yet here was a person I had two feet of height and a hundred pounds on lifting it without breaking a sweat. I knew Selena and Pinera were both in at least the Fifth Tier, but the sheer physical strength the System could grant amazed me every time I saw an example of it.

  Pinera stepped fully into the room and walked to the center of the table, all eyes now on her. With incredible grace, she set the massive pot down. It clinked daintily against the petrified wood of the table.

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  “If I may have your attention, everyone.” Pinera announced, her voice suffused with the inherent musicality of a native Grace Chant speaker. “For tonight’s celebration, I’ve made an edderoot and equarrel stew with the meat generously provided to us by the young lords, Joel and Sean.”

  At being called ‘young lords’ Rebecca’s mom beamed a smile at her boys, and Sean puffed up like a rooster defending its flock, chest out and chin held high. Joel, however, shied back into his chair, his face a bright cherry red. His husband placed a hand on Joel’s back and rubbed small circles to soothe him.

  “Following dinner, I’ve prepared a carrot cake and pecan pie for those of you still hungry.” Pinera continued, either not noticing or uncaring of the brothers’ reactions.

  “Excellent. Thank you Pinera, that’ll be all.” Mom said, voice warm but stern.

  Pinera bowed at the precise angle required for mom’s station, her hands coming up to her forehead and chest in the traditional gesture before she straightened and strode towards Selena. Who had continued to sing but had grown quiet while Pinera talked.

  Mom waited for Pinera to join Selena’s singing before she stood and took her time to gaze around the table. She locked eyes with each of her guests and exchanged a silent moment. When her emerald eyes fell to me, they blazed with a pride and love that like all kids I’d chased with a fervor growing up. I took a slight moment to memorize the joy in her face as she looked down at me.

  “Before we begin dinner, I have a few things I want to say. First, I want to say congratulations to Bran, who finally took his first class.” Mom made sure she I was looking at her before she continued. “I want you to know how proud of you I am Spark Bug, no matter what class you choose.

  “I’d also like to give out my congratulations to Rebecca, Joel, and Sean, who each upgraded their classes today. I look forward to hearing your choices. Finally, I give my thanks to the Grace Mother, who has not only provided us with the food we are to consume, but has blessed our families with Helena’s birth. May she forever find strength in Renewal.” Mom finished as her eyes drifted over to where Helena slept in a crib next to Selena.

  “May she forever find strength in Renewal.” Everyone echoed.

  “Let’s eat!” Mom said, smiling, as she put action to words and ladled out portions of the stew.

  We ate in silence. The Grace Mother taught all things operated in cycles, from the seasons to a simple meal. It was a fact of life that all things gained strength from Renewal and by calling on it before we ate. By invoking Renewal, Mom forced us to go through a Stagnation before Renewal could grant us its strength. Through silent agreement, we had all decided that our small Stagnation would be the silence of the meal. Even Helena, who up to this point had made small noises every so often, went completely silent. Until she woke midway through the meal and cried, though she quieted again, once Rebecca fed her.

  I was late in finishing the food. Only Rebecca’s mom kept pace with me. Everyone else had finished and quietly waited for us. Even Helena had her fill and now sat in a pinewood highchair, Joel’s husband Dale, carved for Rebecca’s birthday. The food was delicious, and it would be some time before I had another home cooked meal like it, so I felt no shame in savoring it. The edderoot must’ve just come into season because the usually bland root was sweet and vaguely tasted like caramel.

  What really stole the show in the stew was the equarrel foals. I couldn’t say for sure what spices Pinera added, but it was incredible. To wash down the stew, I took sparse sips from the brandy William insisted upon me, and even though I hadn’t planned on having a drink, the brandy too was fantastic.

  When I was done, I looked up from the plate to find that Elizabeth had finished before me and currently held Helena in her lap. Once everyone saw my plate was empty, we all turned to my mom and waited for her approval to end the Stagnation.

  “Pinera” Mom called.

  Pinera, who’d stood silently next to Selena the entire meal, lifted her head and waited for mom to continue.

  “Fetch the deserts please.”

  Instantly, the atmosphere around the table livened, Helena cooed at her grandmother and conversations restarted or picked back up as if there’d never been a pause. Pinera came back into the room a moment later, a dish held in each hand. She set down the deserts on either side of the cook-pot and passed out portions of both deserts. Once everyone had been served, she retreated to where Selena was standing and the two of them restarted their hymns.

  Dessert was fantastic and once nearly everyone had finished and some people had grabbed seconds, Mom cleared her throat and addressed the table.

  “No, no, keep eating everyone.” She said when we all paused. “Pinera worked hard on desert and it would be a shame to let the pie grow cold. However, I thought now would be a good time for those of us who have advanced their paths, or just started theirs, to share their growth.”

  “That sounds wonderful.” Rebecca’s mom, Elizabeth, replied. “How about we begin with Bran? What with him just Awakening and all?”

  Mom looked to me, pride for my Awakening still hidden with them, and I shrugged in return.

  “I don’t mind. Though I should start with what I didn’t accept first. The System offered me [Priest of Weeping Grace] as one of my classes.”

  Everyone nodded at that. With my position in the Cult, a spot in the clergy was all but a guarantee.

  “What makes the offer unexpected was its listing as a rare class.” I said, not bothering to hide the pride I felt at our faith’s growth.

  “You’re sure?” Mom asked.

  Her posture had turned rigid and her eyes lost all pride and instead filled with the strength and authority of the [High Priestess]. I recognized the look and realized I now spoke to Rose, [High Priestess of Weeping Grace] rather than Rose, my mother.

  “I am priestess.” I said, switching to High Grace Chant.

  People only used the High Grace Chant in formal setting and rituals, and when translated to the Trade Tongue or the Low Grace Chant, what I said vaguely meant ‘My will is firm Tree Speaker’.

  Mom said nothing for a tense moment as she weighed my words against some unknowable scale.

  “Then this is joyous news!” Just like that, the [High Priestess] had vanished and my mother returned. “The Grace Mother will be most pleased to hear how her clergy has progressed. Now c’mon Bran, what’d you actually choose?”

  Part of me wondered if I’d be speaking to my mother or the [High Priestess] again when I mentioned the name

  “I chose [Grove Guard].” I said and watched the faces of the people around me to see if they recognized the name.

  No one said anything for a moment before Rebecca, who had taken our daughter from her mother, spoke.

  “What’s that?”

  “Based on what the description said, it’s a rare sentinel class.”

  “Warden’s breath, the System offered you two rare classes?” Sean’s incredulous voice cut the rest of what I was going to say off, and his curse drew a slap on the shoulder from his wife.

  “I was. Part of the System’s description of the class was ‘You have spent your life being protected by the forest, and training to protect it in return.’ Plus, its manifestation exuded an aura of protection and sanctuary.”

  Rebecca leaned over and suddenly grabbed me for a seated hug. The contact startled me as I’d been looking to my mom to see if she’d known anything about the class, and my hand fell instinctively to where my hammer would rest on my belt. When my brain caught up to my body, I took my hand away and hugged Rebecca back.

  “That’s incredible Bran!” She said happily into the corner of my neck, and when we broke the hug, everyone, including Pinera and Selena, were smiling at me. Helena was the exception, as she’d fallen asleep in Rebecca’s arms at some point.

  “She's right Bran.” Mom said, reaching over to squeeze my shoulder. “You’ve worked incredibly hard and I speak for both myself and the Grace Mother when I say we’re beyond proud of you.”