Page 45 of Buckle Up, Buttercup

I grin. I suppose I should get used to this. He’s still a celebrity even though he’s just my Hadrian.

Mine.

“Yeah,” I say with a big smile. “That’s him.”

“Great!” she chirps expressively, eyes wrinkling in the corners. That smile is so stinking cute. “I’m gonna go say hi!”

“Alright.” I turn with a chuckle, watching her pick her way across the restaurant toward Hadrian and my brothers. She taps him on the arm, and he looks up, face breaking into a genuine smile. He’s so good with the fans.

And he says he’s mine. Am I really that lucky?

Hadrian

I smile at the young gargoyle female standing by my side.

“Oh, I’m so excited to finally meet you!” She lets out a high-pitched squeal and jumps up and down. “Dad told me how to find you, but I thought it would be harder.” She holds out a hand to shake mine. “I’m Petra, your sister.”

Across from me, Jasper chokes on his food and starts pounding on his chest.

I blink as I look from him back to the gargoyle, who’s staring at me expectantly.

Cocking my head to the side, I eye her suspiciously. “Hey, young one, I don’t have a sister. You must have me confused with someone else.”

She reaches into her pocket, sticking her tongue out of one side of her mouth as she does. “Oh, don’t worry, I was a surprise to him too! Technically I’m your half-sister because your dad dated my mom a long time ago in the human world. Well like, ten years ago there, but that’s what inside the haven system, like almost three hundred haven years?”

I blink rapidly as I try to follow her train of thought. She’s three hundred years old? Pinching the bridge of my nose, I struggle to deal with this information.

She hands me a crinkled envelope with my name written on the front. My mouth goes dry. It’s my father’s handwriting. The way he connects the “d” and “r” in my first name is so distinctive.

The girl hands me a necklace next. It’s a mini stone arakna spider, similar to the necklace my father gave my mother as a mating present. The arakna only exists in a sprawling haven in Brazil where they’ve been doing their research for the better part of two haven decades. And now this young gargoyle is holding one with a letter in my father’s handwriting.

Hands shaking, I take the envelope and withdraw a single sheet of paper. My mouth drops open at seeing his handwriting here too.

Hadrian -

This is Petra, your sister. So sorry we haven’t had a chance to tell you about her. She was quite a surprise to us as well! You know that whole time difference thing means we lose track when we’re working. Petra found us after searching for a long time in the human world. Her mother, an old flame of mine, passed, so Petra stayed with us for a time, but she was so excited to have a brother. We could barely hold her back from visiting you once she learned where you were. Hopefully you’re okay having her around for a little bit. We’re headed deep into the jungle for a few weeks where it’s not safe for her, but we’ll be back soon!

As always, we love you,

Dad

“What the fuck?” I bark.

To my right, the girl, Petra, blanches.

Jasper snatches the letter out of my hand. He and Jack put their heads together as they read it. I stare at the young gargoyle who’s now lashing her tail side to side, brows furrowed as she bites the edge of her finger.

“How old are you?” I ask.

She crosses her arms at her wrists, threading her fingers together. “Umm, I’m nine. Well, in human years.”

I shift uncomfortably, glancing at Jasper and Jack. Jack finishes reading the letter first and holds out a fist toward Petra. “Welcome to the family, lil dudette! I’m your Uncle Jack.”

She looks askance at him. “Uncle? You’re…human.”

“Witch,” he corrects. “But yeah. Hadrian’s lived with us every summer for almost three haven decades. So I’m your Uncle Jack.” He elbows Jasper. “This is your Uncle Jasper. You’ve got an Uncle Jace too and we’ve got a sister around here somewhere. So, yeah, welcome.”

Petra tentatively fist-bumps his outstretched hand.