Page 5 of Shattering

She had given him a long, skeptical look before gripping his shoulders a little too tight . "And mind your manners! No eatin' like a savage, and don't be rough with anything. Ya hear me?"

Now, standing in Cadi's very pink party, Gray had never felt more aware of how much his mam worried.

The party was small—just Cadi, Ana, Byron, Gray, and two of Cadi's neighbors, plus her parents. But what it lacked in size, it made up for in enthusiasm.

When Gray arrived at Cadi's house, the first thing he noticed was the enormous unicorn piñata hanging in the garden. The second thing he noticed was Cadi's dress.

She was wearing a full princess gown—light blue, with shiny sequins and puffed sleeves.

Byron leaned over. "You look like a doll," he said, failing to keep a straight face.

Cadi scowled. "It's a princess dress, Byron."

"Aye, but—"

"If you laugh, I'm tellin' my mom you broke the rules," she warned.

Byron immediately shut his mouth.

Gray shuffled his feet. "It'th a nice dress," he mumbled, trying not to sound too embarrassed.

Cadi beamed. "Thank you, Gray."

Byron groaned. "You're so soft, mate."

Inside, Gray met Regan.

Regan was four, with big, watchful eyes and dark brown hair.She was Derrik's daughter from his last marriage. She was shy, barely speaking when Cadi introduced them. Instead, she clung to Derrik's leg, staring at Gray and Byron like they were intruders.

"Regan's still getting used to everything," Cadi explained. "She's quiet."

Gray had seen shy kids before, but Regan wasn't just shy. She was watching him, studying him, like she didn't quite trust him .

Derrik ruffled Regan's hair. "Go on, sweetheart, say hi."

Regan peeked up at Gray and Byron. "Hi," she mumbled.

Byron grinned. "Hi, tiny human."

Regan immediately scurried behind Derrik.

Cadi sighed. "She's not that little."

"She's little compared to us," Byron reasoned sagely. "And she's hidin'. That's what little kids do."

Regan peeked out from behind Derrik again, still watching them.

"She doesn't talk much," Cadi said. "But she's okay."

Derrik chuckled. "She'll warm up. Eventually."

The cake looked enormous, covered in pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles. Cadi's mom had worked on it all of yesterday.

"Too much pink," Gray muttered under his breath as Cadi's mom set it down on the table. Byron nodded in agreement.

"It's my party," Cadi reminded them. "You don't have to eat the pink part."

"I'll make the thacrifice," Byron said dramatically, taking the biggest slice he could.

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